Prequel: The Other End of the Sword
by SkywardDiamond
Summary: The oftentimes humorous and bizarre events in Link's not-so-simple college life with Zelda, Pipit and Midna in Skyloft as a knight-in-training, two weeks before Zelda is taken to the surface by the Demon Lord. Leads up to Link's first meeting with Ghirahim. Story continues in Book One. T for mature themes/mild language/adult situations. *Rewriting*
1. Prologue

**This is the story that precedes The Other End of the Sword: Book One. It's a fun little tale that provides the background info that's always referenced in Book One. Hope you enjoy this story which follows Link's life prior to being knighted.**

** Please review!**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Zelda.**

Prologue

"Finals are _only_ six weeks away, Zel. Aren't you gonna dash home _right now_ and bury your face in a stack of books?"

With a giggle and a scoff, Zelda peered into the sky before giving a playful glare to her best friend. The grandiose Main Island of Skyloft hovered in the distance, imposing its protective aura upon the many surrounding islets, much like a celestial body watches over its satellites.

The springtime sun was beating down, foretelling of the wonderfully warm summer days that were just around the corner for everyone at the Skyloft Knight Academy. As the cool breeze swept her light blond hair aside, she wrapped her arms around herself, gripping the thick sleeves of her pink, woolen jacket.

"Are you saying that I study too much, Link?" she asked with a smile. From above, she studied her sandy haired friend as he lay in the grass, with hands behind his head and eyes closed. He had an extremely content look on his face. The only movement from him was a small grin that curled the corner of his mouth.

"Yes, I am," he replied, still resting his eyes. Folding her legs beneath her, Zelda's smile widened. Link was in his element: in repose, soaking up every available drop of sun, and doing his favorite thing in the entire world – nothing.

"Well, you know," she began as she leaned into his face, "we can't all effortlessly earn straight A's, like you." With a grin he cracked a blue eye, peeking at the one young lady who he endeared above all others.

"It's not effortless, Zel," he breathed, adjusting his back on the soft grass. "I study like everybody else."

"Well, sure, you work hard on your sparring and flight training, but I never see you reading!" Zelda exclaimed. "Even before a test!"

"That's 'cause it's all up here," he said as he pointed lazily to his head. "Maybe I don't get much use out of my textbooks, but I do use them before finals. You're being pretty presumptuous there, missy."

"Well, the only reason you brush the dust off and finally use them is because the instructors like to trick us, and test us on obscure facts from the books."

"You got me there," Link admitted, closing his eyes again.

"No, I got you _here_!" she cried as she whipped the brown leather boot off of his foot. Pushing up onto his elbows, he gaped at her as she ran off, her long, cream colored skirt trailing behind her.

"Hey! That shoe is new! What're you doing with it?" Sitting upright, he observed as her tiny feet carried his boot to the eastern edge of the islet. "Women…aaaaugh," he groaned as he shot to his feet and started sprinting.

Glancing over her shoulder, Zelda squealed, realizing that Link was in hot pursuit. She turned her head and laughed as she picked up her pace, determined to pull off her little prank.

After all, he'd done the same thing to her recently.

"I don't think so," Link mumbled to himself as his impassioned gait closed the gap between them. Nearly out of breath, Zelda made one last attempt to dash to the nearby edge, but it wasn't long before she felt a familiar hand wrap securely around her arm.

"Ah!" she screeched as she was tugged to an abrupt stop. Link's free hand circled to reclaim his lost footwear.

"Thank you," he said with an exasperated head shake. Letting go of the young lady, he bent down to redress his foot. "I can't believe that! You're worse than I am!"

"Ha! I am not!" Zelda laughed. "If I remember correctly, my pristine _white_ sandal, that I purchased from one of those expensive little shops in the village…" She gave Link an accusatory look. "…And don't act like you don't remember, because you were _with_ me that day…" He looked away and shrugged. "…Met a similar fate when you 'accidentally' dropped it over the edge last week!"

"Hey, Crimson and I caught it, didn't we?" Link pointed out. Zelda's mouth fell open.

"Sure, after you let it fall for how many seconds? You're lucky you've got an exceptionally fast bird, or my shoe would've been lost below the cloud cover, gone _forever_."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," he told her sweetly.

"Yeah," she muttered incredulously. "I'm sorry too." Link chuckled and held his arms out.

"Makeup hug?" he suggested, flashing a handsomely white smile. Zelda's eyebrows came up.

"Does it involve a noogie?" she asked, making a wry face. He shook his head.

"Knight's honor," he promised, presenting her with a small bow. Zelda pursed her lips. She didn't believe him, but she stepped up to him, nonetheless.

Interlacing her fingers with his, she raised her chin, offering him her most charismatic grin. He returned her expression in kind as their blue eyes met. Looking down at her, he smirked.

"That doesn't mean I can't tickle you, though," he jeered. As he proceeded to brush his hand along her neck, she practically jumped out of her skin. "I'm just kidding," he assured her. With a heavy breath, she dropped her head, resting it on his chest. For a moment, she took in the fragrance of his russet-hued tunic. It smelled like the sparring hall; this equated to the scent of wood, metal, leather, bandages, ointment, and a hint of sweat.

"When's the last time you washed this, Link?" Zelda asked, examining the white bird emblem on his chest.

"Three weeks ago," he replied.

"What!" she cried, throwing her head back.

"I'm kidding," he said, admiring her alarmed look. "Actually, I just had it cleaned yesterday. You don't need to tell me. It's impossible to eradicate the 'aroma' of blood, sweat and tears."

"Ew," Zelda groaned.

"Non-knight students, they just don't understand," Link sighed.

"I don't think I want to," Zelda insisted. "I'm perfectly fine with my loftwing and environmental studies, thanks."

"Psssh, boring," Link teased.

"Oh, stop it, you," Zelda scolded. "Stop being such a pain. You're cuter when you're nice."

"Since when am I cute?" Link asked.

"I'm always telling you you're cute," Zelda giggled.

"If you say so." They both stood and stared at each other. Zelda looked down, not realizing that Link had been gripping her upper arms. He, in turn, just noticed that her hands were wrapped around his waist.

"Link?"

"Yeah?"

"Why do we have a death grip on each other?" They both laughed for a moment. "Not that I'm complaining. I sort of like this position."

"Oh yeah?" Link asked.

"Mmmhmm."

"Well, that can mean only one thing," Link stated, quite seriously.

"What's that?" Zelda asked.

"That we're supposed to _kiss_," Link concluded with an approving nod.

"Oh, really?" Zelda asked.

"Yep, really."

"Like a big, sloppy, wet kiss?" Zelda sniggered.

"Exactly," Link confirmed.

"Like a big, open-mouthed nasty thing?" she asked, parting her lips and wagging her tongue in his face. He grimaced a bit before he joined in on the silliness. Soon they were both shaking their heads and playing a game of tongue tag.

"I hope you don't really kiss like that," Link said with a twisted face. "Whoever the lucky guy is who gets to share in your first kiss is in for a rude shock - pretty girl, dreadful kisser."

"I'm sorry I'm not an expert like you," Zelda said as she cocked her head.

"Zel, a peck on the lips at the age of eleven does not an expert make."

"Well, it's more experience than I have," Zelda said with a head bob.

"And Malon kissed _me_, remember?" Link reminded her.

"Sure, Romeo," Zelda taunted. Rising to the tips of her toes, she smiled in his face again. Her hand came up and swept across his cheek. He turned, feeling her fingers claim his left earlobe.

"Mmm. What're you doing?" Link asked. "That's sensitive, watch it."

"Your birthday's coming up," Zelda said, toying with the silver loop between her fingers.

"Yes, it is," Link said in a slightly strained voice. "In a couple of months…"

"Are we really almost twenty-one?" she asked, examining the gleam in the metal as she twisted it.

"Yup, really," Link verified.

"Where did the years go?" she asked absentmindedly.

"Don't know," Link said, flinching. "Can I have my ear back?"

"Oh, heh, sorry," she said, nearing his face and wrinkling her nose. He looked back, slightly mesmerized by the sparkle in her icy blue irises. Her smile faded as she watched a subtle change wash over him. She curled her fingers into the fabric on his back.

"You okay?" she asked him. His face remained blank.

"I was gonna ask you the same thing," he said. They stood quietly for a few seconds.

"Uuuuh," she said, freeing her hands and running them through her hair. "We should probably head back, right? They're probably about to serve dinner." Link glanced at the sun.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," he said.

"I wish every Friday afternoon could be like this," she said solemnly.

"Every Friday afternoon _is_ like this, Zel," he said, lifting his hands.

"No, I mean, from now on," she said, rocking her head to the side and digging her toe into the dirt.

"Why, what's changing?"

"Well, we've got some pretty tough exams to study for. And I've got dance club responsibilities to worry about, and you've got your music-"

"That's never stopped us before," Link said, giving her a strange look.

"Well, that's not all. I actually just agreed to play the role of the Goddess in the Wing Ceremony. Well, _ceremonies,_ I should say." Link nodded thoughtfully.

"Oh yeah? That's a pretty big deal. I think our building might've been selected for the first contest, but I'm not sure... "

"Yeah. I've got a lot to do to prepare for it. It's gonna take up a good bit of my time…I dunno how much free time I'm gonna have in the next several weeks."

"Oh, well…" Link said, shifting his eyes, "we'll always have time for each other, right?" He smiled again, drawing a somber gaze from his friend. "What?"

"I hope so," she said, looking down.

"Hey, what's the matter?" he asked. She took a moment to respond.

"Oh, I mean, it's nothing," she said bleakly. "I'm just…a little worried about all this important stuff coming up. Don't worry about me." Her weak smile did little to ease his worries.

"Um, okay," he said. "Did you wanna go into the village tomorrow? Maybe we can eat at The Chateau, or something? My treat."

"It's always your treat," Zelda said softly.

"I can give you a foot massage under the table," he said.

"You're too good to me," Zelda said, a shyness beginning to show itself. Link frowned for a moment before reaching his arm around her small shoulders.

"I know," he said, giving her a squeeze. "If you bring your flute along, maybe we can sit in our spot by the overlook and play together."

"Sure," she replied as she felt herself gently pulled along.

"Your enthusiasm is overwhelming, Zel."

"Sorry, I'm just sort of distracted," she sighed.

"Anything I can do to help?"

"Just keep doing what you're doing," Zelda said as she scrunched her shoulders. "Just keep being you." Link smiled and rested his face on the top of her head as they walked.

"Oh, yeah, I've been meaning to ask you…" Zelda started to say.

"Yeah?"

"Can you come to my dorm tonight? Like, maybe around ten, or so?"

"Sure, why? Something wrong?"

"I just wanna talk some more," she said, looking at the ground. "I've had some…stuff on my mind lately. And you're my most trusted friend…"

"You don't need to explain yourself," Link said with surety. "I'll be there. Not a problem."

"Thanks."

"I'll race you back to the Main Island," Link challenged. A meager smile crept back onto Zelda's face.

"You're on," she called as she shot out of his arms without warning.


	2. Visitors in the Night

Chapter 1

Visitors in the Night

The silence in the darkened hallway was almost eerie. It was enough to bring about that odd yet pleasant buzz in one's ears which accompanied a place completely devoid of sound. The only noise to be heard was the patter of a young man's feet as he stepped lithely down a carpeted staircase.

Link gave a hefty sigh, trailing his fingers through his hair as he made his way to the first floor of residential building eleven. As his foot left the final stair, he slid in front of the door to his dorm. He stood still for a moment, grateful to be alone, and to finally be able to retire to his own private sanctuary. He was so tired he could barely keep his eyes open…

His chin dropped as he looked down, realizing that he was still donning the same brown sparring tunic that he'd been wearing all day. His fingertip traced the emblem which stretched its proud wings across his chest. How his outfit had stayed clean after so many hours of wear was beyond him. Between a sweaty sparring session, flight class and a bit of practice for the Wing Ceremony, he certainly didn't smell very good. He reeked of loftwing. His little powwow with his friend had sucked up his entire evening. He supposed that a bath was out of the question at this point. It sounded really good, though…

It had been an exceptionally busy Thursday. Pressure from the rapidly approaching final exams was mounting. Assignments needed doing. Essays needed writing. Flying techniques needed polishing. Musical instruments needed playing. Best friends needed consoling until three o'clock in the morning…

He loved Zelda to pieces. She was his lifelong best friend, after all. But she had really been wearing him out lately.

Looking up at the ceiling, Link plunged his hand into his right pocket. He bit his tongue, pushing nonessential objects aside in order to locate his room key. He grimaced as his skin picked up moisture from the handkerchief that Zelda had been sobbing into for the past five hours.

_Should'a just let her keep it… _he thought. Finally, a soft jingle told him that he had struck gold. Or brass.

He inserted the key into the lock, and twisted. Oddly, it didn't click like it normally would. He quickly concluded that he must have forgotten to hit the lock when he stepped out to go to his first morning class. Shrugging to himself, he gave the rounded wooden door a shove.

As it swung inward, Link went to take a step, but abruptly stopped. The small, lone oil lantern which sat faithfully on his bedside table was alight. It shouldn't have been.

In the dim, flickering light, Link saw that his bed was occupied. Not occupied by just anyone, either. Squinting his eyes, his weak, blurry gaze rested upon a familiar silhouette. Almost unable to distinguish the color in the feeble light, he looked upon a mustard-hued knight's tunic. The young man who wore it sat upright, comfortably propped up by pillows. Fixated on the wall, he was busy making shadow puppets.

_Oh gods… _Link thought, shaking his head dejectedly. Tempted to turn tail and run, he reconsidered visiting the bathroom.

"Geez, finally," the young man said disapprovingly, studying his dancing, handmade works of art with tenacity. Link gawked at him.

"_Finally_?" Link repeated. "Pipit, what are you doing here? Don't you know what time it is?"

"I'm not the one here who's time challenged, Mister can't-get-up-on-time-for-nothin'," Pipit quipped. Link's hands hung down as he gaped at his seemingly oblivious friend.

"I'll reiterate," Link said, growing slightly frustrated. "What are you doing here? At three in the morning? It can't be for anything _good_. Your room infested with something again?"

"Well, I worked late," Pipit explained, lowering his hands to his lap. He turned his head toward his irritated friend. "I patrolled 'til about a half-hour ago. Hence my outfit." He gestured to himself and made a face which screamed, 'Duh'. Link rolled his eyes. "And no. I'm not here for anything good. 'Cause _you're_ up to no good." Ticked off and confused, Link looked at the wall for a few seconds.

"I _what_?" he asked.

"Oh, you know what I'm talking about," Pipit said, sitting up. Crossing his brawny forearms, he leaned forward and tilted his head down, offering his best Pipit stare. Looking up, Link shut his eyes.

"Pip, what-"

"Disappearing off into a girl's room for hours into the night?" Pipit interjected. "It's obvious. I really hope you're being careful." Still in the doorway, Link held out his hands. His jaw dropped.

"Huh?" he asked. "You waited here to tell me that? Do you even know what _girl_ I was visiting?"

"Of course," Pipit said, swinging his feet to the floor.

"So…why would you assume such a thing?" Shrugging one shoulder, Pipit gave a wry grin.

"I dunno," he said. "It's not like we're kids anymore. I mean, you're about to turn twenty-one…"

"Yeah? And you're about to turn twenty-two," Link told him. "What's your point?" Reaching behind him, he pushed his door shut with a quiet click. The last thing he wanted to do was wake an ornery instructor, or, worse yet, the Headmaster, who resided upstairs.

"My point is," Pipit emphasized, "that I've seen the way you guys look at each other these days. And…" He shrugged again. "One can naturally assume that something might be going on there, know what I mean?" Taking a seat on his spare bed on the right side of the room, Link shook his head.

"Actually, no, Pipit, I _don't_ know what you mean," Link replied. "Zelda's my friend. When I'm in a f_riend's_ room, there is _nothing_ going on which I would have to be careful about. Okay?" He took a moment to shake his head again. "Goodness, you've known us both forever. You know we don't do that. Get your mind out of the gutter." He leaned across his legs and pulled his brown, knee-high leather boots off of his sore feet. Kicking his legs up, he flopped onto his bed. "Don't get on my case over something that appears to be what it's _not_." Link narrowed his eyes. Pipit looked suspiciously at his blonde buddy, thoroughly unconvinced.

"Yeah? Then why's your hair all messed up?" Grabbing his head, Link looked for a mirror, but remembered that the only one in the room was stashed in his cupboard.

"'Cause I spent a good three hours practicing for the Wing Ceremony today before the sun went down. Aren't I allowed to have windblown hair? Plus it's the middle of the night! _What_ do I need to look all tidy for?"

"For the strapping, handsome visitors who unexpectedly show up in your room, of course." Pipit shot a sarcastic, flirty look at him.

"Uuuuuuugh, Pip, knock it off, man, it is _way_ too late," Link groaned tiredly.

"And why's your face all red?" he asked, pointing accusingly. Link stared at him again, scoffing in amazement.

"'Cause you just scared the heck out of me, Pip! What the…" Link was almost at a loss for words. "And that last outlandish comment you just made isn't helping either… Why are you in here anyway? Shouldn't you be, I dunno, _sleeping?"_

"Not when I have such urgent issues on my mind that need immediate attention. I need to make sure my buddy here either keeps it in the barn, or saddles it up first." Link paused for a good long while.

"Pipit…you didn't just say that."

"Oh, I did," Pipit assured him. "Seriously, I'm not trying to be gratuitously crude. I really am concerned. I don't wanna see you making any mistakes." Believing his friend to be either hard of hearing or just plain nuts, Link sat up and pulled his tunic, chainmail and linen shirt over his head. Trying to shake off the tiredness, he stretched his arms, happy to be free of the weighty armor.

"Number one: no mistakes are being made here," Link insisted, laying back down and secretly relishing the sensation of the comforter against his bare skin. "Number two: you're always gratuitously crude. And number three: you're crazy, Pip. But then again, that's a conclusion that I already came to a long, long time ago."

"Hey," Pipit said incredulously, "that may be your conclusion, but it's a foregone one."

"Right, well I don't need to get into everyinappropriate thing that you've ever said or done." Link pondered briefly. "But, just for the sake of proving I'm right, how about what happened last month? When I let you stay in my room for a week when Jakamar was replacing the floor in your dorm? _That _was an adventure." Pipit shot an innocent glance at him. Now it was Link's turn to point.

"No. Don't act like you have no idea what I'm referring to," Link said, closing his eyes. "I slept in this bed and you slept in mine. I let you have my bed 'cause it's the most comfortable. And for reasons known only to the Goddess, you decided it was a good idea to bring Karane into my bed.…" Lacing his fingers behind his head, he shifted to view Pipit's nonchalant expression. "Um, with me fifteen feet from you guys?" Link continued, fishing for his friend's understanding. All he obtained was indifference.

"Hey, at least we were subtle about it," Pipit stated, looking away.

"You'd like to think that, wouldn't you?" Link retorted, closing his eyes again. "I, for one, can vouch with one-hundred percent certainty that you guys were _not_ subtle. Nor did you even care that I was here. I mean, did you forget whose room you were in or something?" He looked at Pipit who simply shrugged. Link huffed. "Well, after it got old to asphyxiate myself with my pillow in a futile attempt to drown you guys out, I got up and left."

"Hey, not my fault," Pipit said guiltlessly. "You could'a just said something…"

"But it gets better!" Link went on. "Everyone knew that you were staying in my room, but no one knew that Karane was in here. Everyone within a half-mile radius, I'm _sure_, was treated to the entertaining sounds of thrashing, banging and who knows what else coming from my room, which supposedly had _two guys in it_. Seriously, Pipit. People looked at me funny the next day." Link kept his eyes on the wall to his left, refusing to look upon his friend's naive face any longer.

"I whittled away the wee hours of the morning by pacing the corridor and sleeping on one of the tables in the breakfast hall. That was _fun_." Hearing Pipit start to chuckle a little bit, Link's mouth reluctantly broke into a small smile. "Can you even comprehend in your mind how strange it is to wake up to Henya poking you and asking you why you're sleeping there…_?_" They both couldn't help but chortle together for a moment. "You are _crazy_, case closed," Link blurted out.

"I'm not crazy," Pipit stated in an attempt to defend himself. Both friends tried to fend off the giggles.

"Pipit, the pure nescience that's emanating from you right now could choke a Skyloftian moose," Link objurgated. "Some days I honestly think that you are positively certifiable." His gaze settled on the ceiling as he watched the shadows sway. "Especially at the Lumpy Pumpkin on free-drink-Mondays."

"Well, you hang around me often enough. I guess that makes you crazy by association," Pipit said, bouncing his dark eyebrow.

"Hey, not you too," Link complained. "I already have enough people to wrongfully accuse me of things."

"Oh, stop your whining. It's not that bad," Pipit said unsympathetically. "I know the instructors pretty well by now, and they just expect a lot more from you than from everyone else. I mean it, too. They're hard on you 'cause they recognize your potential. Is it really such a bad thing that they expect all A's from you, or get on your back if you're lazy in the sparring ring? At least they coax you into excelling. They don't do that for just anybody. Consider your harsh treatment a privilege."

"Pssh. If this is a privilege then I'd hate to attend a school where they just plain don't like me." Link peered at him. "And I should've told Henya about you. She would've reported you, just like you deserve." Pipit snickered.

"If you'd reported me, then _I_ would've reported you. I highly doubt the instructors, especially Zelda's dear daddy, would be terrible keen on the idea of you being in her dorm all hours of the night."

"Fine," Link said. "Then we would sit in the detention hall, exchanging wise-cracks for hours. And don't forget that Karane and Zelda would be there, too. And they would _not_ be happy with us." Pipit laughed at Link's remark. "Or we could just duke it out in the sparring hall," he suggested, "and put an end to it right then and there."

"Well, I don't need to tell you that an underclassman can't challenge an upperclassman," Pipit pointed out confidently.

"Right, but an upperclassman _can_ challenge an underclassman, and then it's left to the underclassman's discretion, now isn't it? Therefore_, you _can challenge_ me_." Pipit laughed some more.

"Whatever. Can I sleep here tonight? It's so dang late at this point that I don't even wanna move," Pipit said lazily.

"Sure. As long as you don't bring any girls into my bed," Link said with his arms crossed and his eyes closed. The weariness caused by a long, grueling day was beginning to tug at him.

"Why not?" Pipit jeered. "It's the only action your bed _ever _sees."

"Shut uuuuup," Link said flatly.

"It's true," Pipit continued.

"So what."

"You could have any girl on this campus." Half-asleep, Link grumbled to himself. "Scratch that. You could have any girl on the Main Island and beyond. I'm talking _any _university or village _anywhere_. They're falling all over themselves for you. Don't you see 'em?" Link grumbled again. "I can think of a dozen of 'em off the top of my head."

"I'm sure you could," Link murmured, unimpressed.

"How about Drayka from building fifteen? She's beautiful, and I know she wants you based on what her friends tell me."

"Mmmhmm," Link mumbled.

"Then there's Lahrk and Kori from building fifteen, and Gallah, Lory and Kea from building six. They're all gorgeous! Then, there's Linette, Ioras and Petrel who all share one of those huge, luxurious dorms in the grad-student building. They're in the same room! You could probably walk yourself over there right now, knock on their door and be ripped off your feet as they drag you inside like maniacs!" Pipit nearly fell off of the bed. Link finally opened his eyes and looked at him.

"Yeah, and get stopped for sneaking out by who knows how many night guards who are patrolling out there right now. Too bad _you _aren't patrolling right now. Then I could actually get some sleep! And more importantly Pip, _not interested__…__And, _I also find it ludicrous how well you have every girl's building number memorized. You know all their dorm room numbers too? How about their favorite colors? And you know what, now that _you_ are a grad student, why don't you go move yourself into one of those _luxurious_ buildings, and leave me in peace in humble little building eleven?"

"Well, I for one can't understand why you and Zelda are so committed to each other when you aren't even dating," Pipit said, ignoring every one of his friend's words. "It's like you guys are together, but you're not. You guys, like, unwittingly sabotage each other's chances at finding love." Pipit batted his eyes sardonically once more, gleaning an irritated stare from his friend. "I don't get it. I think I need to knock some sense into you."

"Can you do it tomorrow please…it's past three AM?" Link breathed.

"Ha. Not a chance, chump." Springing from Link's bed like a crazed monkey, Pipit crashed his heavy body onto his unsuspecting friend.

Both young men were medium built, solid, muscular and fit from hours of intense training; however, Pipit was six inches taller than Link, making him a good deal heavier.

Catching Link completely off-guard, Pipit knocked the wind out of him. They rolled onto the floor with a loud, violent thump, shaking the entire building. As Link lay on his back trying to catch his breath, Pipit straddled him, attempting to flip him on his stomach to secure him in an arm grapple.

Pinned down, but well aware of Pipit's intentions, Link wriggled out from underneath him. Refusing to be subdued, he kicked Pipit in the chest, knocking him onto his back. Capitalizing on his friend's prone position, Link grabbed Pipit's wrists. As he leaned down to pin them to the floor, Pipit brought his knee up, administering a harsh jab to his friend's stomach. Grunting against the force of it, Link fell back, allowing Pipit to break free.

"That was a dirty move..!" Link muttered, folding over.

"And kicking me in the chest wasn't?" Pipit shouted. As his hurting friend clutched his midsection, Pipit reached up. Pulling Link into a headlock, he yanked him to the floor, smashing his face into the hard, unforgiving wood.

With his opponent on all fours, Pipit jumped onto his back, bearing his weight down as vigorously as he could. With a surprised grunt, Link dropped onto his chest.

As the red-faced pair rolled around the room, several pieces of furniture toppled over. They hollered at one other, struggling to gain dominance.

Link was in no mood for a wrestling match at this time of day, yet, an insuperable scrap had sucked him in. He couldn't believe that Pipit insisted on fooling around like this at three-something in the morning. He was exhausted from the day's usual draining activities. He was already short on sleep. He had been up _every_ night with Zelda…

With one final roll, Link ended up on his face. As Pipit pushed him into the floor, he grimaced, unable to breathe. Pipit made another valiant attempt to claim his friend's arms, focusing on his stronger right.

"I'm making sure my door is locked next time!" Link yelled up at him, flailing his hands.

"It _was_ locked. I still had a key from when I was staying here," Pipit said, almost completely out of breath from trying to truss his friend's wrists. Grumbling and groaning from exertion, Link thrashed beneath him. As he felt his right arm seized, his eyes flung open. He gasped sharply.

As his arm was bent across his back, he arched up. His forehead dropped to the floor.

"I swear I'm gonna get you good in flight class. You are _toast_, my friend!" Link promised, twisting to break free from the hold which threatened to pull his shoulder out of its socket.

"Give up?" Pipit asked softly in Link's ear as he leaned down, still bending his arm. "I think you need to brush up on your bare-hand combat skills, bud, 'cause this is just pitiful. You may be undefeated in the sparring ring, but it's onlybecause it entails swordplay, and not wrestling!"

"Uuuugh...Pipiiiiiiit," Link growled with his face in the floor. "Good gods. I am _so_ tired. Just gimme a break!"

Not knowing what else to do, Link decided to apply a most lowdown and brutal move. Feeling a little bit guilty, but not nearly enough to avoid doing it, Link brought his foot up behind Pipit and gave him a swift kick in the junk. Pipit immediately fell and doubled. Link pushed himself up from the floor, eyed Pipit for a moment and plopped down next to him. He almostfelt bad about the pitiful sounds coming from his friend.

As Pipit moaned and writhed on the floor, the two looked at one another, feeling pretty silly. After Pipit managed to choke back the tears that were pooling in his eyes, he started laughing.

"I'm really sorry I had to do that, Pip," Link told him with just a touch of sympathy. Pipit laughed and gasped simultaneously.

_"You're _sorry? Tell that to my groin," he whined. Link couldn't help but silently crack up at the poor guy.

Suddenly, there came a knock on Link's door. He and Pipit froze in place, staring at each other in horror.

"Oh crap," Pipit grumbled under his breath. Link flew to his feet, walked directly to his door and opened it. As the door slowly opened, he looked up. He came face to face with Instructor Owlan.

He looked mad. Very, very mad.

Link quickly glanced at his instructor, realizing that he had dressed in his formal teacher's uniform just to pay him a visit. His long, thin blue stole hung over his broad shoulders as he held his hands behind his back. He gave the young man a vacant expression. Link gulped.

"Um," he stammered, trying to keep his voice from breaking, but failing. "Evening, Instructor Owlan." He bowed his head reverently, as was custom at the academy. He looked down at his feet for a moment, knowing full well what was coming. Owlan stepped softly into the room. The light from the oil lantern reflected off of his long white hair. He broke his gaze with Link to peer down at Pipit, who was lying on the floor. The young knight stared up at him with a bewildered look on his face. Owlan's eyes turned toward Link once more.

"Young men, what in the world is going on here?" he asked in his usual deep, intimidating voice. Link's eyes darted around the room as he tried to come up with a legitimate - and believable - excuse.

"Well," he began uneasily. Then, Pipit spoke up.

"It's my fault, sir," Pipit admitted. He grabbed the end of the bed with his hand and pulled himself to his feet. His knees practically buckled from the lingering pain. "It's not Link's fault, really. He shouldn't have to be punished because of me." Disinterested in asking questions regarding the strewn about furniture, Owlan just glared.

"Detention. Tomorrow after classes are out. _Both of you_." With that, he looked each of them sternly in the eyes before turning to leave. Link and Pipit stood motionless for a few seconds as their instructor made a brisk exit.

Immediately after, two heads simultaneously peeked out of Link's door. They watched as their instructor walked down the hall. His arms were still behind his back.

"Maybe he keeps his hands clasped behind him to avoid beating the living daylights out of us when he's really mad," Pipit said. They both turned their heads and looked at each other.

"Pipit, we just got ourselves detention on a Friday night. Actually, _you _just got us detention on a Friday night, with your little demonstration. So much for arriving punctually at the Lumpy Pumpkin tomorrow night." He reached up and grasped Pipit's shoulder, shoving him backward. "I'm supposed to be playing at the party, too. I don't even know what time we're supposed to be starting. Good going."

Link walked away from him and headed back toward his bed. Standing next to it, he sprung off of his feet and landed on his back with a bounce. He stared up at the ceiling with his arms stretched out to the sides. "Aaaaaaand I wasn't even wearing a shirt. When an instructor came into my room." He shook his head. Pipit gathered himself up.

"Well, at least we'll be in detention together. We'll get the chance to exchange those wise cracks you mentioned earlier." He grinned innocently at his friend. "And that party's gonna go on all night. I'm sure we can get you there on time to play your precious violin, so chill out. We can go together right after detention."

"Yeah, sure," Link replied dryly. "Goodnight, Pipit." Link shot him a sideways glance which told him to get out. Pipit took a hasty step back.

"Night, man," he said, exiting through the door as he shut it. As soon as he was gone, Link looked up at the ceiling and mumbled through gritted teeth. "Well, this is _sure_ to ruin tomorrow night."


	3. Troubles of the Heart

Chapter 2

Troubles of the Heart

Link's day leading up to the Friday night detention crawled by at a snail's pace. He was dreading four-thirty so much that, for the first time, he actually wantedInstructor Horwell's exhausting two-hour lecture to keep going. Today's topic had been on the riveting subject of sword sharpening, which was far more interesting to Link than the idea of sitting for two blasé hours in the detention hall, studying the cracks in the infrastructure.

Later, Link was the only one in his loftwing care class who didn't mind that they had to sit through two hours of learning how to distinguish between different types of loftwing mating calls. He sighed as his ears were filled with the sound of the instructor's monotonous tone. He swished his white feather quill around in his ink. His mind wandered. He considered his class schedule, amazed that he had endured it for almost three straight months.

_"Equipment maintenance 104: an endless bore first thing in the morning. There's only so much instruction a person can take on how to clean and preserve armor and weapons…_

_"Loftwing Care 201: not a bad class. Usually wakes me up enough to keep my face from falling in my lunch. Plus the lessons are useful. Better than the lower level loftwing classes._

_"Lunch: ah, that wonderful part of the day when my ears are graced by the sounds of incessant jabbering by the girls and trumped up stories by the guys. It's more like a ruthless assault on my auditory system. This time of day is quite possibly the reason for my inability to regain consciousness on time every morning, not that anyone would believe me…_

_"Flight Training 201- Intermediate Flying Techniques: my favorite. There's nothing more entertaining than heckling Pipit for being the worst student-teacher on the planet. 'Bird expert'? I'll show you bird expert… _Link grinned devilishly_._

_"Night Patrol 110: because Pipit is a night guard..._

_"Sparring Class: a co-ed class which proves that the art of ogling is alive and well… I'm sure our crazy circus of a class makes the whole of Skyloft proud…_

"_Rules of Knighthood IV: because becoming a knight entails rules, rules, and more rules. Makes me second-guess my career choice every now and again..._

Scribbling idly on his paper, Link daydreamed about the upcoming party. He thought about who would be there, and if he might meet anyone new…

…

As usual, lunch in the dining hall was the usual crowded, noisy sixty minutes that it always was. Students rushed every which way, attempting to glean as much enjoyment and conversation as possible out of the short gap of time that they had between their morning and afternoon classes.

Link searched the huge room as he sat at a corner table with his friend, Chaise, a music major and fellow musician. A kind individual with red hair and intelligent hazel eyes, Chaise was a good friend. He was always dependable, always willing to lend a helping hand, and always ready to offer himself up for some stress-reducing guy time. He was the most level-headed, down-to-earth friend that Link had, and he valued him.

The two didn't attend any classes together, but they lived in neighboring residential buildings. They would meet for lunch frequently, spending plenty of time discussing guy issues. Link had come to Chaise's aid with girl advice on countless occasions, which was baffling, considering he had only intuition to go on. In return, Chaise reminded Link that not all of his friends were as hopelessly quirky as Pipit.

With several years of instrument playing between them, the two friends were experts at their craft. Link was an extremely talented violinist, while Chaise excelled as a percussionist. They had played together for fun, as well as in formal settings, on numerous occasions.

On a normal day, Link would be more than willing to chat with his friend. Today, however, he was far too preoccupied to carry on a decent conversation.

Link had carefully eyed every single table in the dining hall. But, the person he was searching for – Zelda - was nowhere to be found. He frowned thoughtfully. According to what she'd told him the previous night, she was going to meet him for lunch. A troubling feeling crept over him.

Zelda seemed to be growing increasingly distant over the past month. The bubbly, excitable personality that Link had always known and loved was starting to wane, giving way to a quiet, subdued disposition. Aloofness and forgetfulness was quickly becoming her new normal. She no longer appeared as drawn to him as she did before.

They had, of course, been spending every evening together in her dorm, but the way that she had been relating to him seemed different. To Link, she seemed disconnected, as if she was disassociating herself from him.

Her recent behavior stood in sharp contrast to the immovable devotion that she'd always had for him. Prior to her shift in demeanor, the two friends had been closer than ever. In fact, their relationship seemed to be growing, changing, and maturing in a way that spoke of something beyond friendship.

Everyone else had noticed it, even if they had failed to - Link and Zelda were beginning to look at each other differently.

Chaise talked above the din as Link's thoughts carried him elsewhere.

He felt that a palpable strain had come to burden his and Zelda's ordinarily lighthearted, comfortable relationship. Perhaps it was the way she no longer ran up to him when they crossed paths between classes. Maybe it was the way that she seemed hesitant to talk to him at times. Whenever he would attempt to engage her in a conversation, no matter how scintillating, her gaze would wander off toward the horizon.

Link suspected that she was beginning to lose interest in their friendship. Maybe she felt as though it had reached its peak, and was now in decline, slowly approaching its end. She no longer showed genuine happiness to see him. Instead, a forced smile would accompany her. Friendly embraces were few and far between now.

Link was well aware of the multiplicity of worries that had been weighing on her mind for weeks. Link knew her inside and out, and, all things considered, these concerns were more than enough to alter her behavior.

Yet, this was the first time in all of the years that he'd known her that she seemed to be pulling away from him. Normally, in stressful situations, she would draw closer to him, unloading all of her concerns onto his strong, capable shoulders. He didn't mind one bit. As always, it was his pleasure to oblige her.

But, now, Zelda didn't need him anymore.

Was she beginning to think of him as cloying and bothersome? The thought had been nagging at him for days. He could only hope that her circumstances were culpable for her attitude, and not him.

As the Headmaster's daughter, Zelda had a great number of responsibilities. She volunteered to take on these duties, of course, but that didn't serve to lighten the burden.

A positive role model to her fellow students, Zelda was known for her hard work and high grades. Many admired her stark ambition for pursuing a double major: loftwing studies and environmental studies. She was an avid dancer, both in and out of the dance club. She would sometimes give speeches at assemblies and various other school gatherings. There was no doubt that she was well known and well loved on campus, as well as the entire Main Island of Skyloft.

In addition to her usual tasks, Zelda had been donating large amounts of her time to the preparation of the upcoming Wing Ceremony. From the moment that she had signed up to play the role of the Goddess, she had worked tirelessly to stitch her own costume, learn the lines that she would have to recite atop the Goddess Statue, and to craft, by hand, a special prize for the lucky winner of the first wing contest.

The main ceremony, set to occur in two weeks, would be the most important gathering of the year, attracting thousands of spectators throughout the Main Island, as well as neighboring islets. After the first ceremony, Zelda would have to perform the ritual several times over the course of the summer.

Dozens of knights-in-training, all hand-selected and placed into groups by the instructors, would compete in subsequent contests. The winners would graduate to knighthood, earning the ability to continue their training in advanced classes, open only to upperclassmen. Each unfortunate loser would be left to apply for another chance to compete in a later contest, scheduled during the summer break.

The instructors carefully accepted re-applicants based on whether they believed the students to be mature and advanced enough to graduate. With the decisions left to the instructors, some knights-in-training would be turned away. Those who overcame the disappointment of being rejected would have to retake the required flight classes the following semester. The others would discontinue their pursuit of knighthood, altogether.

Like her best friend, Zelda was a musician. Her instrument of choice was the flute, which, similar to Link, she had been playing since elementary school.

Recently, however, a new instrument had taken precedence over her flute: a ten string lyre harp. As the Goddess's representative in the ceremony, she was required to play a traditional song. In love with her flute playing, Link was hesitant to accept the new instrument. But, he was quickly won over by the undeniable connection that his friend seemed to have with the golden object.

The harp sounded as beautiful as it looked in Zelda's dainty hands. Link had been lucky enough to catch a few glimpses of her practicing in her dorm as he sat and talked with her at night. She had taken up the harp only a short time before, yet her playing was exquisite. No matter what she played, angelic sounds would rise from the strings as she strummed. Link had always believed her to be a natural born flutist. Now, he was beginning to think that she was better suited for the harp.

As her biggest supporter, Link sang her accolades every night. She would just smile and shake her head, insisting that she was undeserving of such praise.

On top of the upcoming ceremony, finals were quickly approaching. At any given hour, the library and sparring halls would be filled with countless knight-students, knights-in-training and non-knighthood students.

Final exams at the academy were extremely challenging. Pulling out all the stops, the instructors pushed the students to the limit. Failing grades were not uncommon during finals week. Dozens of students didn't advance to the next grade. Many never would.

Akin to her fellow students, Zelda was susceptible to the pressures of finals week. Link knew that she was feeling it now more than ever. He made sure to give her plenty of breathing room.

But, Link's concern for Zelda went beyond her academic and ceremonial worries.

Every evening, she would speak at length about strange dreams and visions. To Link, the troubled tone of her voice communicated more to him than her words. He wanted so badly to help her, to offer wise advice or comforting words, but he didn't know what to say. He didn't even know how to react to her. Part of him thought she was going crazy, or, at the very least, succumbing to stress.

To make matters worse, Zelda was hearing voices. She told Link that someone, or something, was calling her. Once again, Link was tempted to point out the nuttiness of her claims, but he didn't want to risk offending her. She already seemed unhappy with him. He attempted, on several occasions, to urge her to take a break and unwind. He offered to fly her to a secluded little niche, Kehia Island, tempting her with descriptions of waterfalls and bubbling brooks.

But, she brushed off every one of his recommendations. At a loss, Link reluctantly backed off.

As Chaise talked Link's ear off about what he and the other musicians were planning to play at the Lumpy Pumpkin that night, Link's mind was stuck on what Zelda might be doing at the moment.

_I wonder where she is_, he thought. _Maybe she's found another friend to confide in. Maybe she's found a guy that she really likes and she's afraid to tell me…There are a lot of guys around here who like her. Or maybe it's me… Maybe I've allowed my own affairs to get in the way. Maybe I've neglected her as a friend._

Link played with the layers of his sandwich.

"You gonna play with us tonight?" Chaise asked him, excited. Link's concentration broke.

"Huh?" Link asked, looking up from his plate.

"Are you gonna play with us at the party? You're gonna bring your violin with you, right? There'll be a bunch of us there. There's gonna be the full gambit of instruments. That'd suck if you didn't play at least a couple songs with us."

"Yeah. Um, I've actually got detention tonight from four-thirty to six-thirty, then I'm gonna head over."

"Detention on Friday? What'd you do this time?" Link gave him a look.

"What'd _I_ do? Well, you can ask Pipit tonight at the party."

"Ha, okay. Well, you're gonna remember your violin, right? You know tons of people are gonna be expecting a song from you."

"Yeah, I'll bring it. Actually, I'm supposed to play a duet with Zelda. She should be bringing her flute."

"Really? Her bamboo flute? That thing is beautiful sounding. What're you guys playing?" Link looked away for a moment.

"We have a song that we threw together really quick one day when we were off somewhere together. We're planning on playing it tonight…" Once again, Link dazed off.

Chaise waved his hand in his friend's face.

"You were saying?" Chaise interjected.

"Oh," Link said shaking his head. "Sorry. I'm reallydistracted today." He ran his hands through his hair. "But yeah, I'll be there tonight with the sheet music. And my violin."

As everyone started leaving the dining hall, Link realized that Zelda wasn't coming. Countless friends shouted and waved to him, but he barely noticed.

"I'll see you later, buddy," Chaise said as he jumped up and grabbed Link's shoulder. "And you should check outside. I think I saw her sitting under the tree by the fountain before I came in." Chaise smiled broadly as he took his trash from the table.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" Link called. Immediately perking up, he tucked his books under his arm, grabbed his uneaten lunch and chucked it in the garbage. After, he ran off.

"Hey, Link! See you later!" a classmate yelled to the blurry figure. Link waved his hand halfheartedly.

_She better have a legitimate excuse for avoiding me today, _he thought. _She could have sought me out pretty easily. _

Outside, Link searched the grassy area around the dining hall. After traversing the stone steps, he stood on the cobblestone path and adjusted his sparring outfit.

The garment was similar to a knight's tunic, but it lacked the bold colors and fine detail. The beige tunics had a distinguished look, yet were modest and unadorned. However, they were functional and durable, providing additional protection over chainmail during sparring matches.

Looking past the rush of students, Link shuffled his feet. He searched, but couldn't find Zelda anywhere.

He set his sights on a large, twisted tree. It stood proudly next to a fountain; the same fountain that Chaise had mentioned.

Link's blue eyes widened.

A pretty young blonde sat beneath the tree. Her casual, light brown dress wrapped around her petite frame. A thin leather belt hugged her tiny waist. A golden harp was cradled in her hands. Her pale hair was pulled gently back into a braid, revealing her soft jaw line and delicately pointed ears.

Link grinned. He loved her ears. He thought they were adorable.

Locks of hair had escaped from her hair tie. They rested gingerly against her cheek, giving Link yet another reason to stare at her. He sighed, hesitant to approach her.

_Why am I being so neurotic? It's Zelda…_He took a breath, conflicted. For some reason, Zelda looked like a stranger to him. _Well, no sense in trying to guess why she gave me the shaft. Better go talk to her. _

Pushing his apprehension aside, Link approached his friend.

"Hey, Zel-" he began to say, but he stopped dead in his tracks. He saw that she wasn't alone.

There, sitting in the grass with her was none other than Groose. Link raised an eyebrow.

_Groose? _he thought, mystified._ What in the world is she doing with him?_

To Link's amazement, the two were smiling and laughing. They looked like old friends.

_She blew me off for Groose? _Link thought, abhorred. _Good gods, what did I do?_

He just stood there, at a loss.

_Should I approach her? _he wondered. _Nah, Groose will probably make a huge scene if I interrupt them. I don't wanna do that to her…_

He continued to watch her from a distance. He sighed again.

_Well, she seems to be fine. I guess there's no law against talking to Groose…as far as I know... _With a deep breath, he turned away. _Still sucks, though. Is Groose more worthy of her time than I am?_

Dejected, he trudged toward the westward drop off to meet the rest of his flight class.

"Hey, Link!" someone shouted from the noisy crowd. Zelda picked her head up, surveying the area. Link, however, had agilely ducked out of sight before she could spot him.

...

Disappointed by Zelda's apparent indifference toward seeing him, Link found himself in a fog. Now, he had two troubling matters on his hands: the quickly approaching detention, and Zelda's newfound amity with the biggest jerk in school. Zelda never talked to Groose. Why would she start now?

His flight class was spent staring into the horizon, brooding.

Pipit's loud, commanding voice broke through his lament.

"So, Link! What do _you _propose is the best solution to this problem?" Silence filled the air for a moment.

Link turned to face him. Pipit stood in his handsome yellow tunic, feet apart, arms behind his back and chin tucked downward. He shot a disapproving glance toward his friend. Link stared back. Having no idea what Pipit was talking about, he shrugged.

"Go find the _real _flight class instructor?" he suggested with a smirk. Everyone snickered. Pipit's glower didn't budge.

"And this_, _ladies and gentlemen," he said, pointing to Link, "is the reason why they need to reintroduce corporal punishment to the academy. And _wrong. _Sorry. When you're flying in open air and you find yourself being approached head on by two other flyers, you signal with your right hand, and promptly turn in the same direction. Always obey the rules of the sky."

Pipit took a moment to shoot Link an evil eye.

"So, any volunteers today to demonstrate the clockwise-spiral maneuver? This _will _be in the final exam next week." As expected, Link's jumped around and waved his hand in the air. Pipit sighed, ignoring him.

"Laurin and Silvey, thank you for volunteering," he called to them. "Any questions before you head out there?"

"Oh! Me!" Link called. Everyone turned their heads toward him. "How'd you get that big bruise on the side of your face? Somebody beat you up last night or something?" More laughter rang out as Pipit gestured for the students to obtain their loftwings. The two young ladies ran toward the drop off, leaped into the air and whistled for their birds. Link continued to dance around, waving his arm in Pipit's face. Pipit rolled his eyes.

"Go get your bird," he grumbled.

"Ah, thank you, _sir,_" Link taunted as he gave his instructor a most proper bow. He immediately sprinted for the edge, took a flying leap and splayed his limbs out to slow his fall. The wind whipped at his face as he brought his fingers to his lips, sending his unique whistle into the air.

Within seconds, the bright red bird broke his master's fall. Link quickly secured his feet. Knowing that his bird loathed the constriction of a rein strap, Link opted not to use one. Instead, he grasped feathers.

"Hey, Crimson," Link hummed to his bird. Crimson cooed lovingly back. The two joined the other students.

As Pipit came about on his silver loftwing, he shouted his instructions over the wind. The two young ladies listened attentively, while Link sat and simpered, conjuring something in his head. With a grin, he watched Pipit fly back a few thousand feet.

Insisting that the ladies go first, Link sat and observed their perfect portrayals of the maneuver. Pipit offered a thumbs-up, proud and pleased.

Then, he turned his gaze to Link and Crimson…and grimaced.

Fleering mischievously, Link awaited Pipit's signal. With much reluctance, Pipit tossed his hand into the air and braced himself.

"Let's get him, Crimson," Link whispered to his bird. "Show Hematite who's boss." Crimson bolted forward, almost knocking Link on his back. He chuckled at his bird's vigor. As usual, it mirrored his own.

Link's smile couldn't get any bigger as Crimson's enormous wings hurtled them toward their unlucky target. Wind gusted all around them as they acceded.

They drew closer, and closer, and closer…

As the event unfolded, a line of students watched in awe. Link and Crimson performed a flawless clockwise-spiral maneuver, alright. But, they also demonstrated to the class the proper way to wait until the very last second to turn, thereby missing the unfortunate instructor by mere inches.

Grey and black feathers shot everywhere. Pipit's bird reared up and flailed wildly, sending his master airborne.

"_That's _for last night!" Link laughed, standing up on his bird. He crouched down to give Crimson a heavy, joyful slap on the back. "Good job, boy." He nuzzled his face into a mass of red feathers. Quite pleased, he promptly rejoined the rest of his classmates.

After Pipit was retrieved from his death-defying fall, he, too, set foot onto land once more.

Looking more disheveled than ever, he raised his short-winded voice.

"Well," he breathed, "I was gonna offer to do a few more practice runs with you guys, but, due to the fact that I can't breathe right now, why don't we just end class a little early. Practice your maneuvers today. A_ll _of them." He leaned down over his knees.

With an impromptu fifteen minute break, the students happily disbanded. Link walked heedlessly up to his friend and grabbed his shoulder.

"Demonstrating to the class the best way to die out in the open air, Pip?" he asked. Pipit lifted his head, stood up straight and gave Link a leery look.

"That was mean," he said, the corner of his mouth coming up in a grin. "I knew you were gonna be a veritable pain in the ass today."

"Hey, you asked for it. Besides that, I warned you yesterday I was gonna get you. You shouldn't have let me out there with you. I'll apologize later when I'm finished gloating. But for now, I'll just say thank you."

"For what?" Pipit asked, rolling his shoulders back and cracking his neck.

"For distracting me from the pure cruddiness of this day. I can't stop worrying about Zelda. She didn't come and see me at lunch like I thought she was going to. And here's the real kicker: I saw her when I went outside, under the big tree by the fountain. Guess who she was sitting with?"

"Tsssssh, I dunno. Fledge? She suddenly hot for the nerdy ones?"

"Nope. Groose." Pipit's face twisted around.

"Ugh, really?" he asked. "What the heck?"

"That's what I said." Link looked down and shrugged. "I don't know. They were just sitting and talking. They seemed pretty happy, so I didn't bother them."

"Yeah right, you should'a waltzed right up to Groose, grabbed that hideous tuft of flaming hair and tossed him over the drop off."

"Nah, I couldn't do that."

"What? I've seen you pick up crazy heavy things before. I don't doubt for a second you could fling that guy like a rag doll if you wanted."

"No, no," Link said. "I mean I didn't want to cause any trouble. Being around Zelda's been like walking on eggshells, lately. Things are getting weird between us, and I almost expect her to flip out on me if I do the wrong thing. I figured I would just leave her be today."

"Well, if I were you, I would've walked right up to him and taken him out," Pipit stated.

"That's 'cause you're socially inept, Pip. I didn't want to cause a scene. Besides that, I'll see her at the party later. _Hopefully_ then she'll tell me what the heck was going on today."

"Dude, that'd be freakin' wild if she got with Groose. They were actually sitting there having a _pleasant _conversation? When does Groose ever do that with _anybody_?"

"The more pertinent question is this: since when does Zelda give Groose the time of day?"

"I don't know, man," Pipit admitted. "But you know what? The way I see it, you've got two options. One: tell her how you feel when you see her at the party tonight. Tell her that when you saw her sitting with Groose, you suddenly realized that you guys _have to_ be together, or else the planet is gonna fall outta orbit, sending the world to its doom. Or, two: you stop worrying about this crap once and for all. Make up your mind, bud." Link looked up at his friend.

"Thank you for your heartfelt words, Pip." He sighed, stretched his arms out behind him and breathed in the warm, late spring air. It was marvelously comfortable outside, and the scent of summer abounded. "It's gonna be a perfect night for flying tonight, _if _our detention ever ends and we can finally leave."

"Oh, it'll end. Then, instead of being pissed at me, you'll be thanking me for allowing you to have two good solid hours of rest before this insanely awesome evening of debauchery begins. And it's not just gonna be a nice night for flying. It's going to be a _fabulous_ night for mingling at the bar, dancing with some fine ladies, and hobnobbing with everybody. You can bet the crowd's gonna spill out into the gardens. The music's gonna be hot, as will the ladies, the food's gonna be slammin', alcohol's gonna be in abundance, and I am going to enjoy myself immensely. You will too. It's the perfect opportunity to forget about your troubles. Zelda won't even cross your mind. I guarantee it."

"Hmm. Yeah, we'll see," Link said nonchalantly. "But, hopefully she's not _on my mind_. She's supposed to _be there_." He rubbed his forehead. "Well, I gotta run to night patrol class, then sparring. I'll see you later."

"That's right, go take your frustrations out on some poor unsuspecting chumps. It'll do you good." He gave Link a hearty shoulder shove. "Go get 'em, and I'll catch you in a couple hours. We'll talk more then. We'll have plenty of time, anyway."

"Mm, looking forward," Link said blithely as he started walking toward his classroom.

The invigorating spirit of summertime sat in juxtaposition to the heavy air of uncertainty that loomed over the academy during this time of year. This feeling of uncertainty was well known to every seasoned student. There was no doubt about it - some people were not going to pass their exams.

But, there was something contradistinctive about this year. Something aberrant was in the air. Link could feel it in his bones.

…..

Link daydreamed through night patrol, and dazed through sparring class. The latter was quite the feat, considering the abrasive volume level.

As usual, the sparring hall was loud and lively. Several groups of students gathered in circles, ready to test their skills. The ladies gathered on one side as the men grouped on the other. For once, ogling was not the top priority; finals were approaching. It wouldn't pay to be a loser over the next several days, and everyone was feeling the pressure.

Link, however, was far more preoccupied with troubles of the heart. He fought and won every match easily, but his mind was in the clouds. Making sloppy mistakes, Link was repeatedly reprimanded by Knight Commander Eagus, his sparring instructor. The man's instruction did little good today, however.

Link took a few more hits than he normally would. In areas where finesse was required, he was heavy-handed. After he managed to strike - and completely shatter - his opponent's shield, Eagus pulled him out of the ring for the safety of everyone else…

Unconcerned, Link apologized to his friend, put his protective gear in the storeroom, sat with his back against the wall and watched the rest of the class. As he wiped his sweaty face with a rag, a group of girls peeked at him from across the room. One gave a little wave. As he smiled back, the girls exploded into a fit of giggles.

_Oh gods,_ he thought, _this class can't end soon enough._

'Rules of knighthood' took up the last block of the day. Link stared out the window, mentally bypassing his instructor's longwinded tangents. He didn't know what to think. At first, he hadn't wanted his classes to end. Now, four-thirty couldn't come soon enough.

This heartache stuff was confusing.

As classes let out for the weekend, most of the students returned to their dorms and prepared for a long evening of partying. Link ran back to his room to pick up his violin and sheet music. He quickly removed his chainmail, not wanting to be dragged down by the heavy metal at the party.

As Link dragged his already tired self to the detention hall, at least a dozen people asked if they would have the pleasure of hearing him play at the Lumpy Pumpkin. He voiced a flat 'yes' every time.

As Link entered the room where he would be spending the next two hours, Pipit was already seated in the back corner. As he made his way toward his friend, Pipit gave him a sly grin.

_Mmm…this is gonna be fun._


	4. Turning Tides

Chapter 3

Turning Tides

"Hey, Pip," Link called with a lackluster tone.

"Whoa. You still in a funk? Okay, we interrupt this dirge to bring you an important update: _you _are going to a stinkin' mind blowing party tonight. Cheer up. Seriously, you're gonna forget who you are after a few drinks and a generous bit of dancing. Kiss your worries goodbye, buddy. It's gonna be great."

"Yeah, I guess I'm due for a good and proper lapse of memory," Link replied as he sat in the chair in front of Pipit. Link looked to the front of the room and saw another young man, sitting and studying for his exams.

"Well, at least we're not the only fools in here tonight," Link said. "I wonder what he did."

"Yeah, let's ask him. Hey," Pipit called out. The young man glanced back. "What're you in here for?" The kid, obviously a young underclassman, twisted in his seat.

"Didn't return to the Main Island in time last night. A night guard caught me trying to sneak in without an escort. This school is strict man, I swear… I transferred here from Zenith Academy a couple months ago, and I've already been in trouble a dozen times. Too many rules here, man." He turned to face forward again.

"Yeah, you got that right," Pipit agreed. He looked Link in the eye. "These people live, eat and breathe their rules and regulations. But, what're you gonna do?" He leaned back in his seat and rested his hands on his head. "They got good reason to be strict. Good discipline makes good knights. It sucks sometimes, but I respect the way things are done here."

"You weren't respecting the rules too much at three this morning," Link said. "Hence." He gestured to the room.

"Meh. I just wanted to grace you with my presence for two hours. Try not to drool over me too much."

"Yeah, right," Link said. "And by the way, I'm not planning on drinking much tonight, if anything. I'm planning on getting there, finding Zelda, performing our duet, and then maybe dancing a little bit with her. I will be _perfectly_ happy doing just that."

"How quaint. Believe me, that's not all you're gonna do tonight," Pipit said. Linked eyed him.

"What's _that _supposed to mean?"

"This is gonna be the hottest party Skyloft has seen in a long, long time. People from other schools are gonna be there. Some are flying for a couple hours to get here. The place is gonna be _packed_. I _cannot_ _wait._ Anyway, this isn't the sort of party where you go, hang out, dance a little and leave. Oh, no. A lot of 'firsts' come from a party like this. First time getting wasted, first time being carried home by your buddies, first time doin' the nasty out in the garden, first time getting scraped off the wall. Put simply, the first time going all out and just embracing the awesomeness."

"Sure sounds tempting, Pip, but I'm perfectly content keeping my head firmly attached."

"Well, good thing your fate for tonight isn't decided by _you_," Pipit retorted. He lazily ran his fingers under his yellow knight's cap and through his dark hair.

"I can tell I'm gonna have to keep a close eye on _you_," Link told him. "I have no doubt that with all the glib idiosyncrasies spewing from your drunken mouth, _someone_ will try and knock you out."

"Heck no, bro. I'm not that bad."

"You're bad enough when you're _not_ drunk, Pip. After a drink or two, or three, or four, you really get going. Don't do it to the wrong person."

"'Kay, well, I'll stick with just you then." He winked. "Don't forget, _I'm_ the knight here. I think I can handle myself."

"We'll see about that. And gee, thanks. Lucky I'm a good sport."

"Heh, yeah," Pipit said with a laugh. "In my defense, I don't even remember most of what I say the day after, anyway. If I do start to go off, just rip me away from the tables and shove me onto the dance floor. Problem solved."

"As your chaperone, I'm taking you up on that," Link assured him.

"Well, keep my advice in mind: don't underestimate what could happen, either between you and Zelda, or you and someone else. Crazy things happen, man. Instead of supervising my every move, you might be skinny-dipping outside in the lake. Or just plain dancing your butt off for hours. I _want _you guys to have a good time. We all deserve it this time of year. And Zelda's all stressed, and acting funny these days…"

"Well, no matter what, I'm planning on talking to her about what's going on with us. I need to get this stuff straightened out before next week so I can focus on my exams, and actually _pass_ them. I'm also in the first Wing Ceremony. That's a huge deal. Instructor Horwell picked our dorm for the first competition."

"I wish he'd done that last year," Pipit said. "I would've loved to be in that high profile first race. It's all hyped up with the huge crowd and everything. Way more exciting than the low key race I took part in. People always talk about the first race all summer long."

Gazing out the window, Pipit thought for a moment while Link enjoyed the quiet.

"And yes, _please_ talk with Zelda. 'Cause I'm sick of how you guys are _supposed_ to be together, but you're not. And I'm not even the one dealing with it." He rolled his eyes. They landed on Link's violin."So, what're you playing on that thing tonight?"

"This." Link handed him the handwritten sheet music.

"Whoa. Man, I'd never be able to make heads or tails of that."

"Well, lucky for you, you've got a brilliant friend to make it easy for you. I can play a little bit right now if you want."

"As long as that guy doesn't mind." Without looking up, the kid lifted his hand, signaling his 'okay'.

Gently holding the neck of the violin, Link propped the bottom on his left shoulder. He looked to the left and placed the chin rest under his jaw.

"I could teach you how to play, Pip, if you can muster up the patience and find yourself an instrument. See, here's the scroll, peg box, nut, fingerboard, ribs, where the sound post is inside, F-hole, bridge, E tuner and tailpiece. You use the pegs to tune each string to E, A, D and G notes. As the bow glides across the strings you alter the pitch by pressing your first, second or third fingers on the fingerboard." He grasped the bow grip and brought the hair of the bow to the strings. As he was about to play, Pipit grabbed his arm.

"Hey, can I try?" Link looked at him for a second.

"I never let anybody play this," he said.

"Oh, come on, this is Pipit you're talking to. I'm like your bosom-buddy, or something." Link sighed.

"Okay," he said acquiescently. "Just please don't break a string right before I have to play tonight."

"Break a string? What do you think I'm gonna do? Play soccer with it? Look, I'm gonna be careful. Just give it here." With a sigh, Link handed his instrument over.

"Well, first off, hold it in your left arm, put it on your shoulder, and rest your chin right there." Pipit did his best to follow his friend's directions. "Hold it level in your arm with your fingers cradling the neck around the fingerboard. Don't touch the strings. Now bring the bow up, pick a string and place it down halfway between the bridge and where fingerboard ends. Keep the bow hair parallel to the bridge, and apply a little downward pressure. I just put rosin on the bow earlier, it should sound pretty good."

"Huh. Sounds easy enough," Pipit said. As he awkwardly held the instrument, he brought the bow up in his right hand. Angling it down over the last two strings, he dragged it toward the floor, producing an atrocious sound. Everyone in the room winced and cringed.

"Wow. That was beautiful, man," Link said. "You had to pick the E string, huh?"

"Well, I'm done," Pipit said quickly, handing Link his instrument. "Between the foreign language of those notes and how freakin' hard it must be to actually make _music _with this thing, I can tell it's not for me."

"That's okay. At least you didn't break anything. I'll play it for you. Just keep in mind that it's supposed to be a duet, so it's incomplete."

Link positioned the instrument over his shoulder, bringing the bow to the strings once more.

Without utilizing the written music, he began to play the song which he and Zelda had written together. It was a ballad, slow and somber. The song was experimental, employing several different bow strokes and fingering techniques.

Pipit watched in awe, freezing in place as he listened.

Link played the song with a glassy, whispery sul ponticello, a flute-like sul tasto, tenuto, tremolos, slurs, bariolage, plucked pizzicato notes, and trills. His skillful fingers controlled pitch and vibrato.

The song emanated warmth and expression. Gorgeous sounds flowed effortlessly. The connection between him and his instrument was undeniable.

He didn't mean to play the entire song, but that's what he did. As he pulled the bow down to finish the final note, he looked at his friend. He appeared dumbfounded. Link noticed that the kid across the room had turned to watch him. He cleared his throat.

"Um, wow," Pipit said, impressed. He sat back and crossed his arms, giving Link a curious look. "I mean, I heard you play plenty of times before, but, I don't think I ever heard you play by yourself, or like two feet from me. I think I got chills for a second there."

"Pip, you haven't even started drinking yet and you're already starting with the crude jokes. I mean, I know I'm good, but I'm not _that _good." He raised an eyebrow.

"I dunno, I'm just being honest", Pipit said. "That was _good_." The other young man twisted in his seat to gape at them.

"Pip, you're scaring that kid over there. Heck, you're scaring me."

"Hey, 'brutal honesty' is my middle name. So is 'no shame'. Don't worry, I'm not gonna jump your bones or anything."

"With you Pip, who knows." Link looked out the window. The sun was just beginning to dip in the sky. "I'm gonna doze for a few minutes… Wake me up when it's time to go, 'kay?"

"Sure, bro."

Link laid his head on his arms. His swirling tumult of thoughts was his only entertainment…

That is, until his friend started bugging him again.

_Why did I ever believe that I could actually sleep, or even _rest at all, _with Pipit here?_

Link's fruitless attempt to close his eyes and rejuvenate his racing mind was easily thwarted by his all too vivacious friend. Resting turned into more discussion about how much trouble Pipit was likely to get into at the party.

Conversation turned into arm wrestling. Link showed Pipit the meaning of the idiom, 'to swallow one's pride', as he vanquished him with both arms. Defeated, the only consolation Pipit received was that his friend struggled a bit with his left arm. Pipit proceeded to hush Link's triumphant laughter with a threat to sit on him if he didn't shut up.

"Awe, poor little ego has an owie," Link taunted. "If you wanna get me back for owning your derriere earlier, you're gonna have to do better than that."

"Oh, don't worry your pretty little head, sarcasmous," Pipit said, slightly annoyed. "I have my ways. Better watch your back on the dance floor tonight. Never know when I might pop up unexpectedly to bring you to your knees with a nice arm bend. Seemed to work pretty effectively last night." Pipit's suggestive tone garnered yet another strange look from their detention-mate.

"Mm, but you're forgetting something," Link replied. "Revenge is gonna be the last thing you're thinking about. I'm saving a booty dance just for you."

"Hey, I'm planning on getting drunk, but if I get _that _wasted, drag me to the drop off and just toss me. There might be guy-on-guy dancing tonight but I won't be one of em. At least, I don't think I will."

"Don't worry, I got your back," Link assured him.

"Yeah right, man. Don't take advantage of me in my vulnerable state. That's just wrong."

"Please, the only advantage that's gonna be taken is by some woman who I'm sure you've never met in your life. Unless her name is Butch, my hands are _off._" Pipit's shoulders bounced a few times as he chuckled.

"Guess if I'm getting molested by a she-man then I'm S-O-L. I'll keep that in mind."

"You could wreck anybody if need be," Link said, examining his nails. "I'm not worried about you."

"Well, I'm hiring you as my bodyguard, 'cause apparently you have the capacity to protect me even from myself, with that sick arm wrestling of yours."

"You're probably just having an off-day, Pip. Don't dwell on it too much."

"Awe, thank you Linkey," Pip said with a saccharine tone.

The kid across the room finally spoke up.

"Do you guys always talk like this?" With his peripheral vision, he peered behind him. A distasteful look was beginning to form on his face. Link and Pipit looked at each before glancing back. Pipit sat up.

"Only on Fridays," he said with a deadpan voice. Link glanced at Pipit. They both doubled over with laughter.

As six-thirty finally arrived, Link sprang out of his seat, sprinted down the hall, ran out the door and cart-wheeled down the stone steps. Pipit made a weird face at him.

The campus was eerily devoid of its usual Friday night hustle and bustle. Almost everyone had departed for the Lumpy Pumpkin for tonight's festivities. Link was anxious to get going. All the talk about freeing his mind of troubles left him craving some mindless fun.

"Thank the Goddess it's finally over!" he exclaimed to the sky. Pipit walked leisurely down the steps, carrying his friend's wooden violin case.

"Oh, thanks man," Link said, grabbing it. The pair canvased the drop off. "Anything you gotta do before we go?" He checked out the cirrocumulus clouds in the distance.

"Nah", Pipit sighed, stretching his arms. "I gotta pee, but I can worry about that when I get there."

"It's a twenty-minute trip, you _sure_ you can make it?" Link asked, punching him in the stomach.

"Dang, watch it," he whined, wrapping his arms around himself. "Just forget I said anything."

"You're wearing your knight's tunic?" Link asked with a critical tone.

"And you're one to talk? You still got your sparring tunic on." He shrugged. "Well, you know what? Ladies love a man in uniform. I'd say we're all set. Plus they're hot for musicians, especially ones with huge blue saucers for eyes. You're golden."

"Well, we're good then, so let's go," Link replied, paying his friend's 'compliment' no mind. Hugging his instrument, he set off at a sprint. Pipit, realizing he'd been left behind, dashed after him. Pushing off into the air, the two were unaware that someone was watching them.

….

"Well, bon vivant, ten years later, we're off," Pipit said to his friend as he soared a few feet from him.

"Yep," Link said. "The air is perfect out here. It won't take long to get there." He noticed that Pipit was looking down and studying the clouds. "What is it?" Pipit kept staring at the cloud cover. He took his time in responding.

"Gotta wonder…" he started. Link looked at him as an unexpected bluster sent his sandy hair dancing.

"What?" Link asked again. Pipit lifted his eyes to meet his friend's. He almost looked sad.

"It's just…you ever think about deviating from this primrose path that we're on here..?" Link peered at him for a moment.

"…What?" he asked, puzzled. He wasn't sure where this was coming from. Pipit turned his eyes back toward the clouds.

"You ever want to just…take a different path than everyone else around you? Take the path less traveled? As if you're being called somewhere else?"

_Geez, here he goes getting all profound,_ Link thought. _And he's still sober, even…_

"Pip, what are you talking about…?" Pipit shook his head, leaning over his loftwing.

"I don't know. Don't worry about it." With Link's interest piqued, he decided to pry some answers out of his discomfited buddy.

"Are you thinking about leaving the Main Island?" Link asked.

"Well, no, not necessarily," Pipit said, looking away. "I've been mulling over what Zelda's been talking about lately. What she's been dreaming about, I mean. Her visions of this 'land below the clouds'. What do you think about it?"

"What do I think about it?" Link asked, making a face. "I'm not sure, Pip… Honestly I've found the whole thing sort of nuts. Fact is, she's also mentioned hearing voices. _Voices._" He paused for emphasis. "I think Zelda is totally stressed out and in desperate need of some 'r-and-r'. In terms of her 'visions', well, I guess their validity has yet to be determined."

"Well, I'm intrigued by it," Pipit said. "Training at the academy and becoming a knight's been really rewarding, don't get me wrong… But, sometimes I just want _more_, especially when I think about the future. Know what I mean?"

"Soooo, like I said before, you're thinking of leaving the Main Island?"

"Maybe temporarily. This place has so many knights already. I'm sort'a tempted to take what I've learned elsewhere. Somewhere not quite as perfect. Maybe join the Skyloftian army and do some traveling. How can we utilize our skills here? What is there for us to do besides patrol, and boss around the underclassmen and villagers, enforcing the rules?"

"Pip, I don't know what sort of environment you're looking for, but it sounds to me like you're asking for trouble, talking about the _army_ and all. Why aren't you happy here?"

"It's not that I'm not happy. More like…longing for something else. A new place to go to make some sort of a difference." Despite Pipit's outlandish and random musings, Link found his candor pleasant.

"Well, that's an honorable thing, Pip. You've been a good knight this past year. You're a stickler for the rules. You're an amazing swordsman. You're the greatest night patroller ever. _No one_ gets past you, especially when you jump on them and bend their arms back in unnatural ways. Wherever you go, they'll be lucky to have you." Link looked ahead, viewing the approaching islet. It would soon be providing them with good, quality divertissement. "I think we'd all miss you here, though."

"D'aw," Pipit said. "Those are some nice buttery words you're spouting, but I'm still gonna get you good tonight. If you don't watch your back, you're a bona fide fool."

"Gee, thanks." Link rolled his eyes.

"And, I'd miss you too, m'dear, more than words can say."

"Pip, you better not say anything to me with 'more than words'. I'll propel you through the cloud cover and into oblivion. You can say hello to the bowels of the planet for me."

"That's no way to talk to your designated keep-my-butt-out-of-trouble comrade for the evening. You watch out for me, I'll watch out for you. You _will _need my help at some point this evening."

"You've got it backwards, Pipit. Why would I need help from you_?" _

Pipit looked at him austerely.

"'Cause any guy whose mind is _that_ mixed up with girl trouble is apt to let his guard down. You'd be surprised what can happen when a few drinks, a gorgeous woman and a little heartache mix. It _will _result in a capricious situation. At the same time, you seriously need to relax and not drive away every female you see. Quit worrying about Zelda as if she's your girlfriend. What if you end up talkingto another woman? Oh heavens! You gonna curl up and die tomorrow morning when you wake up and realize what a horrid mistake you made?"

"Gimme a break, Pip. And besides that, the sheer agony from being slaughtered at arm wrestling earlier must be making you go deaf. 'Cause you don't seem to understand that Zelda promised to be there tonight_._"

"Meh. Doesn't matter if she's there or not. You'll probably both end up schmoozing with other people, anyway."

"Well, thanks for not jinxing us or anything," Link said spitefully. "And I'm not gonna lie. I would have a hard time forgiving myself if I screwed up with Zelda. I know you don't agree with how we are, but you know how important she is to me."

"Okay, okay. Maybe I'm underestimating your abilities to resist the unadulterated excellence that _will be _this party tonight. If that's the case, than you're a stronger man than I."

"Oh, the fact that I'm stronger has already been well established, my friend." Link smiled and looked away. Pipit just shook his head.

"Land ahoy," he said.

As the sun plunged in the sky, the two young men set their sights on the island before them. This modest, lush piece of land was just large enough to fit the Lumpy Pumpkin, as well as a collection of gardens and woodlands.

The time had not yet approached seven o'clock, but the landing area outside of the bar and party hall were already crowded. More people were arriving by the second. Pipit grinned in anticipation. Link blankly observed the grounds, contemplating what might be in store. Earlier, he'd been eager to arrive; now, a strange feeling was burgeoning in the pit of his stomach.

What if Zelda didn't show up?

The two birds descended smoothly into the large, flat landing area in front of the building. Hematite had barely touched his huge feet to the grass when Pipit hopped off of him. Curling up into a forward roll, he sprang to his feet. Link slowly dismounted.

"C'mon, slowpoke," Pipit urged him. The loftwings took flight as Link followed his friend into the pumpkin-shaped building's entrance, holding his violin by his side.

As soon as he stepped into the waiting area, Link was bombarded by dozens of sounds and fragrances. The place was filled to the brim with the aroma of various dishes - the artful work of the restaurant owner, Pumm, and his staff. The cacophony of voices echoing off of the walls was almost painful. The overstimulation was abrasive, but Pipit loved it.

Pushing through the throng of noisy people by the entrance, the friends entered the dining area. The expanse before them was dimly lit, with tall, mahogany walls. Dozens of tables, most of which were already full of people took up most of the floor, aside from the dance floor. A huge, sparkling crystal chandelier hung proudly over the hall. A long, winding staircase led to a loft on the second floor, where more tables and a second dance floor were contained.

The bar stretched the length of the room. Beside it was a staging area where most of the musicians were already seated. Link saw several people who he would be joining later. He was relieved to see that no one was playing yet.

Accompanied by three of her friends, Karane lolled comfortably on a bar stool, sipping her red wine. As she caught sight of Pipit and Link, she jumped up, flipping her shoulder length, reddish-brown hair away from her face. A small yellow rose which matched her lacy, form-fitting dress, was pinned behind her ear. Her eyes were bright green, her lips were full and pink, her body was slim and fit from hours of hard exercise, and her voice was soft and titillating. There was no doubt that Karane was attractive. But, Link wasn't very smitten with her. Karane wasn't fond of him, either.

"Hi, Link," she said dully. "Hiiiiii, Pippy," she cooed, her face melting. She ran to Pipit, jumping into his arms, straddling his waist and shoving Link in one quick motion. Hopping aside, he gave her a dubious look.

"I've been waiting for you!" she squealed, landing a huge kiss on Pipit's cheek.

"Hi, baby," he said with a weak smile. With an awkward shift, he slid the young woman onto her dainty white sandals.

"You gonna sit with us?" Karane asked with exuberant perkiness. She bounced back to her stool. "We're working on our drinks while we wait for our order." Pipit looked around.

"Actually, I'm gonna run to the restroom real quick. I'll pro'lly order something now, though. Why don't you girls find us somewhere to sit?" Looking at him, the four ladies giggled.

"Sure, honey pie," Karane gushed. Link stifled a gag and looked at his friend; he glanced back and sighed. He gestured for Link to follow him to the bar.

"We should get a few things to share or something," Pipit suggested. "I'm so freakin' starving after skipping dinner 'cause of effin' detention." Bypassing the waiters and waitresses who were rushing about, Pipit called out to the restaurant owner. "Hey, Pumm!"

Dazed, Pumm turned around, attempting to trace the voice. He spotted Pipit at front of the bar. His round, heavily mustached face lit up.

"Pipit! Well! Welcome son, how is everything?" he bellowed in a jolly voice.

"Going well, sir," Pipit replied. "The place looks great tonight. Love how you've got a million candles lining the walls. The atmosphere in here's gonna be amazing after the sun sets. So, any specials today?"

"Yep! Kina's cooked up the hugest batch of stew you ever saw. It's big enough to feed the Skyloftian army! Then we've got upwards of five-hundred pounds of sausage stuffed biscuits and vegetables, the usual tank of pumpkin soup, ten different kinds of pumpkin tarts, cheese and sausage soufflé, and of course…gobs and gobs of pumpkin pie. And let's not forget beer on tap."

"Ah, food fit for the gods, Pumm. We'll take one of each please. Surprise us with the pumpkin tart. A beer each for me and my friend too." He turned to Link. "Don't worry, I got it."

Pumm smiled widely. "You've got it son. Be about five minutes."

"Gotcha," Pipit replied, turning to Karane and her friends. "Be right back ladies," he said, tipping his knight's cap. Karane's face oozed with puppy love.

"Come on," he said to Link as they walked to the bathroom. He turned to see Karane's smile fade into a venomous sneer. His eyes narrowed as he took a step.

The bathroom was the only quiet, peaceful haven in the building, it seemed. As soon as the door shut behind them, the only sounds that were heard were muffled shouts from the dining area.

"Ugh," Pipit groaned as he approached the far end of the restroom. The room was commodious and pleasant, containing tables embellished with various plants. The walls were adorned with whimsical paintings of forests and pumpkin patches. The wash area smelled strongly of soap. Link stood in front of the mirror above the wash basin and examined himself for a moment. With a splash of water he fixed his wind-blown hair and freshened up his face.

"What is that woman's problem, anyway?" Link asked his friend. "Why the disagreeable attitude toward me? I've never done anything to her."

"No. Not directly, anyway," Pipit said. "You have to know Karane. Even though she's never been my official girlfriend, we've been close on and off for a while. She can be nasty, though."

"Then why lead her on? I can tell you aren't totally comfortable with her."

"Just 'cause we're friendly doesn't mean I'm leading her on," Pipit defended.

"Jumping on you and showering you with kisses is _more _than friendly, Pip."

"That's only 'cause we've had an intermittent sexual thing going on since the school year started."

"Oh, you don't gotta tell me, Pip. I'm well aware. So is my bed. I think it's still weeping."

"Well, I'll apologize to it later," Pipit stated. "Profusely."

"Try apologizing to me. I'm the one with the bleeding ears that had to listen to it." He sighed. "And what do you mean when you say I'm not 'directly' bothering Karane? How am I doing anything to her indirectly or otherwise? I've never said more than a few cordial words to her. Why does she keep shooting daggers at me?" Pipit shook his head.

"Jealousy," he said with an upbeat lilt. Link gave him a confused look.

"Jealousy? What could she possibly be jealous of me for…?" Pipit laughed softly to himself as he finished washing his hands.

"Because _you _are closer to me than _she _is." Link looked around ponderously before following Pipit out.

Back in the dining hall, a small, lively hand beckoned them. Weaving through the crowd, they approached the table that Karane had reserved, waving to numerous friends on the way. Seating a small group of Link and Pipit's academy friends, the table stood next to the bar, staging area, and dance floor.

Chaise had grabbed a seat next to Karane and her friends. Pipit's night-guard buddy, Rhys, a second-year knight-student, and several other mutual friends, had joined them.

"Arrived have the two corners of the world in arms!" Pipit shouted as he grabbed Link around the shoulders.

"Your food's ready," Karane said with a smile. "We carried it over for you. Your drinks will be here in a minute." Pipit thanked them and took a chair next to Karane. She proceeded to lean toward him, wrap her hands around his head and twirl his hair in her fingers. Link sat next to Chaise.

"I see you remembered your violin!" he said happily. "I can't wait to start playing. Pumm told us that once the sun went down we could start. He said that the song repertoire would be up to us, as long as we play laid back stuff while people eat, and danceable stuff for the rest of the night. Solos and duets can be mixed in here and there, like your and Zelda's song."

_Zelda. _

Link had been so distracted that he hadn't even thought to look for her. All he knew was that he hadn't seen her in the building.

"I'm not sure if she's here yet," Link said. "Have you seen her?"

"Negatory, man," Chaise said as he shook his head. "I hope she shows up, though. I think everyone's looking forward to hearing her play. If she doesn't show, do you think someone else can fill in for her? There're several flutists up there who would do the job quite nicely. Ilia is up there. You guys've played duets before and you sound great together. Just give her the sheet music a little ahead of time so she can skim through it."

"Yeah, I'll do that," Link said absentmindedly. He turned to the rest of the table. "Any of you guys seen Zelda anywhere around here?" A collective 'no' spread outward, disappointing him to the core.

"I haven't even seen her loftwing in the sky since I arrived, and I was outside for a while before coming in," Rhys stated flatly. Link looked at the dark-skinned knight in yellow, feeling let down.

"Maybe I should walk around and ask some people if they've seen her," Link suggested to himself.

"You gotta eat first," Pipit interrupted. "You're probably as flippin' famished as I am. Sit over here, we'll tear it up like the savage beasts that we are." As Link claimed the seat to Pipit's right, Karane didn't bother to hide her disapproval.

"This soufflé is bangin', man. Have some," he said.

"I'm paying you back for this, Pip," Link told him, eating quickly. Exploring the room for Zelda was far more appealing than food right now.

"Don't worry about it, bro," Pipit assured him. "My treat."

"I got the next one, then," Link insisted.

Over the next several minutes, topics such as final exams and summer vacations were mulled over. Link listened halfheartedly, unable to focus as his eyes wandered about the room. There was no sign of Zelda's distinct, light blond hair anywhere.

Suddenly, two huge drinks crashed down in front of them. Link stared at their enormity.

"Thanks, Kina!" Pipit shouted gratefully. "I can't think of anything more fitting to accompany this. This meal's _so_ fabulous, it's capable of bringing out a man's delicate sensibilities. Your cooking talents are magnificent. Superlative. First-class." He tossed a kiss into the air as he sweet-talked Pumm's daughter. She blushed like mad. She was a pretty young lady with a gentle spirit, and a lovable character to match. Link smiled and looked down, sensing her embarrassment.

"Oh, thank you, Pipit," she giggled, crossing her hands over her chest and overlooking Karane's sneer. "Is there anything else I can get for you guys right now? Chaise? Rhys? Jade? Anyone need anything from the bar?"

"No thanks, Kina," Chaise replied. "I need my mind sharp to fully engage in my playing tonight." He looked at Link. He eyed his beer, surmising that it must have been the equivalent of four full servings of alcohol.

"We're good for a while," Pipit said, nudging Link, "but we'll let you know when we're ready for a refill. Thanks Kina."

After taking an order for a couple of mixed drinks, Kina skittered back to her work. After inhaling most of the food, Pipit downed his drink in a matter of seconds.

"Aaaaah," he exhaled loudly over his glass. "That hits the spot in ways that I'm not even gonna say right now."

"Yeah, give it a couple more," Rhys joked. "We'll finally be graced by that loose-tongued Pipit we all know and love." Link cringed.

"Somebody needs to delve into their drink," Pipit said as he sipped the last drops of his beer. "It'll get your mind off your worries and onto more important matters. Such as which gorgeous lady you're gonna dance with first."

"Or who you're going to play your song with," Chaise said. Link looked at both of them.

For Link, drinking was a very infrequent indulgence. On the very rare occasion that he would treat himself to a beer, he would quickly lose interest and hand the rest to Pipit. He certainly wasn't accustomed to drowning his sorrows in alcohol, and he had no plans to start now.

However, with a slight shrug, he picked up his glass and took a swig. It went down smoothly, immediately warming him from the chest up.

"See? Loosening you up already, isn't it?" Pipit asked, throwing two fingers into the air for Kina. "I'm ordering you another one too, bud. I have a feeling your first one's gonna be gone in no time. Gotta stay fully stocked!"

Even though his first few sips made him feel marginally relaxed, Link certainly didn't need another drink clunked down in front of him. But, there it was. Feeling overwhelmed by the ridiculous amount of beer in front of him, he took a few more sips and left the table.

As he got to his feet and walked, his body felt more fluid than usual.

_Well, if this is all drinking is gonna do to me tonight, then I can't complain_, Link thought. _Not bad at all. _

Drifting from table to table, he came across dozens of people he knew. Everyone greeted him warmly, reminding him of how lucky he was to be part of such a gregarious community. While the conversation was friendly and the ladies showered him with attention, no one knew where Zelda was.

Frustrated once more, Link began heading back to his friends' table. Then, he caught sight of Strich, Cawlin and Groose. Thinking for a moment, Link was tempted to approach the gargantuan redhead. He had been with Zelda earlier. Maybe he knew something.

_No_, Link concluded without hesitation. _I don't need his help._

As he crossed the floor, he detected an unfamiliar figure out of the corner of his eye. He almost didn't look, but felt compelled to turn his head. His feet slowed as he aimed a discrete gaze in the person's direction.

What he saw was a woman, sitting down and facing away. While she wasn't alone, she might as well have been. Her dreamy stare was focused straight out one of the windows.

He felt for sure that he knew her, but he couldn't see her face. She had the brightest, shiniest copper hair he'd ever seen. It flowed over her shoulders, stopping just under her collarbone. He wasn't sure why he couldn't stop looking at her. Wanting to gain a better look, he halted.

The mysterious woman stretched her arms into the air and yawned, covering her mouth ever so daintily. Link smiled and laughed to himself.

_Ha, my thoughts exactly,_ he thought.

She turned her head to the side, revealing an elegantly refined profile. Link stopped breathing for a moment. Her petite nose cascaded softly to her full lips. She had the most amazing eyes he'd ever seen in his life. Were they auburn? Gold? The distance between him and her was too great to tell. Her eye curved upward at a sharp, exquisite angle, much like his own; yet, hers were so extreme…so exotic…and so…

Just then, the woman switched her gaze in his direction. Holding his breath, he turned hastily away. He stood motionlessly for a moment. He felt a stab of guilt, realizing that his search for Zelda had turned into him ogling another woman.

He suddenly felt conscience-stricken. But, there was no way around it. This woman was incredible. He wanted to look again, but he refused himself even a fleeting glance. He could feel her eyes on him. He held back a shudder. Grudgingly, he put one foot in front of the other and headed across the room.

With tunnel vision, he rushed back to his table.

"Any luck?" Pipit asked. Link noticed that his friend was on his third drink.

"No," he said sharply. He hurriedly grabbed his glass and guzzled the rest of his drink. He immediately felt warmer. In addition, a new and pleasant tingling sensation was beginning to blossom in his fingers.

"At'aboy," Pipit said, nearly slurring the word. Link eyed his second glass. Pipit looked at him inquisitively. "What's the matter? You look like you just saw something lurid."

"I'm fine," Link said. He lifted the mug and took a big sip.

"Almost time to go up," Chaise said, giving Link an odd look. "If Zelda isn't here, why don't we give Ilia your sheet music so she can prepare really quick? Grab your violin, let's go."

Link looked at him over the rim of his glass. He nodded assuredly.

Slowly, Link pushed himself to his feet. Chaise raised an eyebrow as he watched his friend fumble with his case. Together, they made their way to the staging area. They were promptly greeted by thirty of their fellow musicians.

Taking a deep breath, Link blinked the fuzziness from his vision. Looking behind him, his thoughts floated back to the mystifying woman he had seen just moments before.

Who was she?


	5. Duets

Chapter 4

Duets

The acoustics within the walls of the Lumpy Pumpkin were perfectly suited to relay every note, harmony, and melody to each eager ear in the house. The listeners enthusiastically partook of the musical array offered by the talented young men and women onstage. The ambiance birthed by the performance was ethereal.

With his bongos, Chaise sat in the back, along with a young man playing the snare drum, bass drum, tom tom, cymbals, and congas. A young dance major sat off to the side at a grand piano. Seated on the top step of the stage were twelve students; each played one of three trumpets, three oboes, two flutes and four harps. The lower contained two cellos, one double bass, three violas, four violins, five flutes and one saxophone.

The percussionists kept time as the close-knit group performed several flawless compositions. Having played together innumerable times, each band member had a developed ability to tap into the collective energy of the group, deriving continuity from within it. They required no director as they sat together, playing several slow to medium tempo songs. At the conclusion of each one, the crowd, split between the first and second floors of the dining and party hall, burst into applause.

Spellbound, the audience swayed with the musicians. No matter what the piece - solo, duet, or otherwise – the attention of all was captured. The passionate playing bred ardent listeners, drawing those well-seasoned to the art, and creating new fans, as well.

Link sat in the middle of the violinists, lost in a trance. The resplendency of the music penetrated even the most impervious of constitutions, and the musicians were no exception to its effects.

His current state could not be blamed completely on his surroundings, however.

The young man's vision was fuzzy.

Dazed from the equivalent of six drinks, he played fervidly, never opening his eyes as he caressed the strings of his instrument. His body took in the very heartbeat of the group as he performed what he had practiced so many times before.

Eventually, his and Zelda's duet was next in the lineup. He sighed, feeling as if his energy was already spent. He was hot, tired from lack of sleep, and his right shoulder ached from what felt like thousands of bow strokes. Not wanting to disappoint anyone, he committed to eking out the last bit of musical vigor that he had.

But, one problem remained: after forty-five minutes of playing, Zelda was still nowhere to be found. Link's vexation slowly turned to anger. He wasn't sure whether his marginally inebriated state was responsible for his climbing discontent, or if it was his constant worry for Zelda. All he knew was that he had been repeatedly disappointed by her all day. His unrelenting concern for his best friend had amounted to nothing. He had been stood up.

From the start of the day, he'd longed to see her, but the opportunity never arose. He was beginning to lose his patience. He consigned to having a harsh word with her whenever she finally decided to show her face.

As the rest of the band relaxed in their chairs, Link took a breath and stood up. Walking to the front of the stage, he met Ilia. In the silence, he rolled his shoulders, fending off the anxious tension.

"You okay with the music?" he asked in a whisper.

"Yeah, I went over it a bunch of times before we started." Her eyes let off a nervous gleam.

"You've got such a sharp memory. I never would've memorized it so fast," Link told her. Concealing her reddened face, Ilia turned to the audience. The constricting hush rang in her pointed ears.

Normally, standing before a crowd of hundreds would have given Link a serious case of the butterflies. Tonight, however, between the buzz and the aggravation, he simply didn't care. Ilia, on the other hand, was clearly flustered.

Sensing her nervousness, Link placed his violin down on the stage. In the untainted quiet, he reached his hand up, gingerly placing it under her chin. He looked straight into her eyes, determined to still her shaking green irises. For a moment, the spectators disappeared.

"You'll do fine," he softly assured her.

Frozen, she blushed even more. With a quick nod, her short dirty-blonde hair bobbed around her face.

Reclaiming his instrument, Link situated it on his shoulder as Ilia stood at the ready with her woodwind flute. As he held the bow over the proper string, she lifted the flute to her mouth, waiting for him to initiate.

For the first time that night, the mesmerizing sounds of Link's violin were the only ones to resonate through the building. Gripping the fingerboard, he played the first note of what was supposed to be his and Zelda's special song. Everyone listened.

With the somber introduction underway, Ilia joined in. She felt her gaze drawn by the glimmering sapphires that were Link's eyes. Fixated on the jittery young knight, he nodded slowly to keep rhythm. He cued her at the appropriate times. Staying in sync with her, he helped her to control her speed, aiding her when she fell behind or rushed ahead.

There Link remained, suspended between the challenge of his own playing and the task of keeping Ilia on track. His eyes felt heavy. He wanted Zelda to be there. The mysterious, ginger-haired stranger was pervading his thoughts…

Somehow, though, he and Ilia pulled off the near-impossible. Not a single soul could tell that Ilia had just learned the song, nor did anyone suspect that the two had never played it together.

The fingerboard was skimmed by Link's fingers as the strings were swept by his bow. Ilia stared unwaveringly, her fingers gliding across her instrument's frame as air was forced into the receiving end. Following his lead, Ilia didn't falter.

For five minutes the song was brought forth; it was dramatic and poignant, stirring up emotion in the statue-like spectators. Playing not only with his hands, but with his feelings, Link unwittingly transformed his inner turmoil into music. On the edge of their seats, his listeners glaciated, absorbing every note. Illia's eyes broadened as she, too, was charmed by Link's playing. Her body stiffened. She was elated to be alongside him.

With a final downward stroke on the violin and a lengthy breath into the flute, the song ended, perfectly harmonized. As the bow lifted from the strings and the flute left Ilia's lips, the audience, once again, jumped to its feet. Glancing at Ilia, he smiled, applauding in her direction. Beaming, she did the same.

After a few quick bows, the pair rejoined their fellow musicians. With the audience roaring happily, the academy students disbanded for a break.

Drained and heavy-footed, Link trudged back to his seat. He cautiously but hastily placed his enclosed instrument in a safe place under the table, dropped into his chair and laid his head on his arms.

"That rocked, bro!" Pipit shouted, his eyes agleam. "My best buddy here has gotta be _the_ _greatest_ violinist ever. That was impressive, man."

"Thanks, Pip," Link said, muffling his words into the sleeve of his brown tunic. "It really took it outta me. I'm pretty beat."

"Hell no you're not!" Pipit yelled. "You can't be tired. We haven't even hit the dance floor yet. You _will be _coming out there with me in a few. You can bet on it." Link lifted his head and squinted at him, trying to blink away the swimmy feeling that was overtaking him.

"I better have another drink, then," Link said tiredly. Seeing that his friend had already taken the liberty of ordering him another, he finished his second before taking a sip of his third.

"You must be really hurting, man," Pipit commented. "I've never seen you drink so much."

"Yeah, I'm a little peeved," Link said after swallowing.

"Forget about Zelda for now. I don't think she's coming. Even if she finally shows up, it's obvious you're not her top priority tonight."

"Thanks," Link replied, twisting his mug around by its base.

"Hey, I just want you to enjoy yourself. Stop worrying about her. Just remember: 'fickleness, thy name is woman'." Link looked at him for a moment.

"Well, I'm gonna try and give her the benefit of the doubt. She could still show up. Maybe she had something to do at the last minute."

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that, bud," Pipit retorted, taking another swig.

Sighing, Link searched the room once more for his missing companion.

But, contrary to his wants, concentrating solely on Zelda was proving to be difficult. As the people enlivened and the crowd swirled around the hall, Link gaped. His normally focused train of thought was becoming derailed by someone whom he had never met.

He wondered whether the lady was still here. He wasn't sure why, but he hoped she was…

"Link's playing is sick. Must'a been 'eargasms' all around for every female in this place. Just sayin'." Link kept his eyes on his drink, trying to pretend that Pipit's slack-jawed jabbering wasn't really starting.

For a few seconds, Link wondered what the crimson-haired woman had to say about his playing.

_Why do I even care?_ he wondered.

"No crap," Rhys chimed in, a bit intoxicated. "As the Goddess is my witness, there is _no_ other guy on this campus as gushed over as _this guy_ right here." The black-haired first-year knight-student pointed a finger toward the topic of discussion. "Is, 'He's such a _dreamy_ swordsman', 'He may be quiet but he's _hot'_, and 'I wish I was his violin and he was the bow', what I wanna hear constantly? Pssh, no." Link raised an eyebrow at the last comment. With everyone at the table beginning to chuckle, he kept his head low.

"Ha! Link's so hot, I bet he cries frickin' magma," Pipit chided. Link turned and stared at him. Giving him silly looks, the girls around the table giggled.

"Link's so hot, he could probably bring my great-grandmother's sex drive back, with a vengeance," Rhys laughed. "And she's _dead_."

"Link's so hot, even _I_ want him sometimes!" Pipit exclaimed. His characteristic shamelessness laced with perversion had everyone in stitches, except for Karane. Link looked off to the side with mouth agape, appalled, but not surprised.

"And I'll be damned if Link is _quiet_," Pipit continued. "A lot of people say that, but it's just 'cause he doesn't talk around people he doesn't like. I've never met another person more tragically born with the inability to shut up in my entire life. Pretty sure 'verbiage' is his middle name." The girls exchanged glances.

"Well, brevity _is_ the soul of wit, Pip," Link said, rubbing his forehead in dismay. "_S_ometimes there are no words worth saying." He sent a glare in his friend's direction. "Sure wish someone here felt that way right now…"

"He's never said more than a few words to me," one girl murmured out of the corner of her mouth.

Between Pipit's joshing and the resentful women, Link was finished. He slowly rose to his feet.

"Well, Pipit, if you're through shoving my foot in my mouth for me, I think I'll go take a walk. It's been fun." He leaned in. "And I think we're even now." Pipit smirked.

"Not quite, amigo. Not quite."

Having heard more than enough badinage concerning his looks and character, Link turned from the table and walked off with a relieved sigh.

"Oh my gods," Link muttered to himself. _How'd I know that was coming?  
><em>

Tonight was slowly becoming an evening of remarkable contrasts. Link went from an unpleasant imbroglio to a cascade of compliments. Praising him for his talent, many people asked how long he'd been playing. Some inquired as to whether he was majoring in music or not. Opting against bringing the obvious to their attention - his knight's sparring uniform - he cordially stated 'no', knowing that most people were well on their way to a drunken stupor.

Between each spirit-lifting praise, Link tried to gather information on Zelda's whereabouts. But, his sleuthing got him nowhere.

_Maybe I should just forget about it…_

Ambling around, Link relished his time alone, enjoying the atmosphere within the restaurant. The people were loud, but the mood was friendly. He crossed his arms, admiring the soft glow from the wall sconces. Past the seating area he strolled, coming to rest beside the staircase.

_But, I don't wanna forget about you, Zel…_

Inhaling deeply, he leaned against the side of the stairs. He searched again, hoping…

Then, across the walkway between the seating area and where he stood, Link spotted someone. It was the unnamed woman again. Startled, he shrank back. He pressed his back to the wall and looked over his shoulder, inconspicuously peeking from his hiding place.

The young lady stood by a window, alone, gazing through milky stained glass. She appeared quite tall, perhaps a few inches taller than him. She wore a black lace dress which clung to her every curve. Her garment, which left just enough to the imagination, revealed a wonderfully slender yet shapely figure.

Unaware of how much he was staring, Link's eyes made the trip from her head to her feet – and back again – more than once. To him, she was a work of art. He had never seen anyone like her.

_Like observing a rare bird..._

Following the natural flow of her frame, his gaze streamed down to where her dress cut off at the knee. Inching south, he discovered two dark, thick-heeled shoes.

_Ah, maybe she's _not _so tall, then_, Link thought with relief. Her lustrous red hair caught his eye for the second time. He couldn't see her face, but he longed to. He bit down on his tongue. He thought about her eyes…

_I wonder what she's thinking about…Why is someone like her standing alone?  
><em>

Link's mind raced, ignited by a foreign curiosity as he tried to make sense of this person who he knew nothing about.

_Well, she's still here, alright_, Link concluded abruptly. Realizing that he had not only been observing, but ogling, he pulled himself away. _I'm not acting any better than the idiots in sparring class…_

Feeling guilty about his wandering eyes, Link gave the back of his neck an uneasy rub. Part of him wanted to attract her attention, to allow himself to pursue her without let or hindrance, but he didn't know why. He couldn't put his finger on whatever it was that was chasing away his usual indifference.

Disconnecting himself from his conflicting thoughts, Link set out to find some _normal_ friends.

When he was through scoffing at the idea of returning to his seat for more verbal abuse, he settled on a table in the back of the room. There, a familiar youngster sat.

Waylon, a freshman knight-in-training, was someone Link had grown close to over the course of the school year. Ever since the young man had come onto the competitive scene that was SKA, Link had taken him under his wing.

As Link's new apprentice, he was showered with knowledge and wisdom about sword fighting and flying. The boy happily imbibed everything that the older student was willing to give. With the utmost vivacity, he listened and learned without asking why.

As the fall semester turned into spring, Waylon blossomed into a star pupil. Naturally, the boy's abilities came to exceed those of his peers.

And, as chance would have it, Waylon was Link's own personal carbon copy. The young man was shorter in stature and smaller in build, but had the same dark blonde hair and big blue eyes that attracted females in swarms. Between his boyish good looks and his impressive physical abilities, he was becoming quite the catch. He was learning from the best, after all, and every girl was taking notice.

Today was no different. Link found the eighteen-year-old in his seat, with his shoulders slumped and his head down. A group of four freshman girls were hovering over him like vultures. Approaching the table, Link covered his grin.

"Hey, Waylon," Link called out. At the sound of his voice, everyone turned their heads, including the girls. Swapping ambivalent looks, they meandered away, studying the senior knight-in-training before merging into the crowd.

"What'd they think I was gonna do?" Link asked the three young men. They chuckled.

"I have noooo idea, but whatever the case, _thank you_," Waylon breathed gratefully. "They wouldn't leave us alone." Link nodded in silent understanding.

"So, how's the studying for exams going?" Link asked. Waylon shrugged.

"It's going. I know I'm all set for Loftwing Care 101, I'm pretty good in sparring, I'm getting there for Religious Studies 104, and I'm definitely fine for Literature 101 and Biology II. By this time next week I will have _owned_ every exam. I'm looking forward to the break. I'm gonna be spending the second half of the summer at home. Empyrean Falls is a two-and-a-half hour flight away. I haven't been home to see anyone since the school year started."

"I'm sure it'll be nice seeing your family," Link told him.

"You looking for someone?" the young man asked.

"Actually, yeah, I am." Link smiled.

"That blonde girl you're always with?" Waylon gave a huge grin.

"Good guess. Even though I already know the answer, I'll ask anyway. Have you seen her at all?"

"Newp."

"Yeah, didn't think so."

"Isn't she Headmaster's daughter?" Waylon asked.

"Yes, she is."

"You're dating Headmaster's daughter? Whoa…" Prurience emanated from the boy's eyes. Link had to laugh.

"No, not quite. She's just my best girl friend, not _girlfriend_. Although current circumstances are making me wonder. Pipit is my other best friend, but, as of right now, I'm second-guessing myself on _that_ one, too." He looked at the ceiling.

"Dude, Pipit scares me," Waylon stated with a look of repugnance. Link looked at him and stifled the extremely hearty laugh that he was dying to let out.

"He scares me too!"

Finished catching up with his little buddy, Link drifted back into the sea of party goers. People-watching, he picked out several knight's tunics and uniforms that he didn't recognize. Pipit was right - people really had come from all over the place to attend this party. He brushed past several tables, discretely observing people enjoying themselves.

_This is so much better than dealing with-_

"Hey, chump!" came an all too familiar voice. Coming to a dead stop, Link froze in place. With an intense glower, he turned his face to a certain huge, red-haired imbecile.

"Nice playing," Groose snickered with a malicious grin. "Tell me something, twiggy. 'Cause I'm grasping at straws here." He tromped over and put his huge arm around Link's shoulders.

He grimaced. Groose's head towered above his by a full foot, at least. As Groose leaned down, he retracted.

"Why do musicians always have that look on their faces when they play? That 'I'm about to have an orgasm' look, like they're making love to their instruments, or something? That why you don't have a girl? Don't need one, eh?" Groose laughed snidely. "You still dry after your little performance?"

Breaking from his grasp, Link stepped back.

"What?" Groose yelled brusquely. "You know I'm right. The fact that you got nothin_'_ to say just proves it, girly man! You tell Zelda yet that you're cheating on her with a violin? Oh, that's right… You guys aren't together. She's too good for your dumb ass." Groose looked around for a moment before bending to deliver a whisper. "You know, when she sat with _me_ at lunch today, she told me that she can't stand you. In fact, she merely humors you outta the kindness of her heart. She finds you just as detestable as I do. That'swhy we're perfect together. Or, will be, anyway." With a spiteful smirk and a flash of lust in his eyes, he murmured in Link's ear, "I'll let you know how she is."

Furious, Link took one last look at Groose's smug expression, drew back and punched him square in the nose. Too slow to see it coming, Groose flung back and hit the floor with a heavy thud.

Link barely noticed the excited screams and shouts around him. Friends and strangers alike began to gather, each becoming a witness to the scuffle. The two had successfully invited unwanted attention from every corner of the building.

As Link stared at the incriminating evidence before him, Groose gaped back, in shock. Struggling to sit up, he dabbed his nose with the back of sleeve. His golden eyes widened even more as he spotted the bloody trail.

"I'm gonna kill you, bitch!" he barked, jumping to his feet.

Link's features softened as reality began to sink in - he had actually laid the guy out. His mouth dropped open in astonishment. He had never hurt someone unlawfully before. Any and all skirmishes had always taken place during sanctioned matches; injuries were always accidents.

Instinctively, he balled both fists, certain that Groose was about to lunge at him.

But, as Groose took a frenzied step forward, he was waylaid, apprehended from both sides by two knights. Link hopped back, just as surprised by the interception as he was of his own rash actions. Two more men stepped in front of him. He returned their glare, getting the feeling that they weren't only interested in protecting him.

Fighting against the knights' grapples, Groose thrashed until he realized that escape was futile. Blood dripped down his front, staining his sparring tunic. He huffed angrily in Link's direction.

"That was unwarranted," Groose hissed. "You're _dead _when you get back home, you sorry-ass knight-wannabe." Link clamped down on his tongue.

"What's going on here?" the knights in front of him asked. They wore black tunics lined with a swirling gold pattern. Link had no idea what school they were from.

_Geez, it's like having two Pipits in my face, _Link thought.

"This fool punched me for no reason," Groose whined, holding a small rag to his nose. A fifth man, wearing the same knight's uniform as the others, came to the fore. Playing arbiter, he assessed the situation, analyzing both young men. He eyed Link's sparring tunic, examining the white bird emblem.

"Are you from Skyloft Academy?" the knight asked. Link looked him in the face.

"Yes," he replied.

"You too?" the man asked, pointing to Groose. He nodded sheepishly.

"Then a knight from SKA needs to step up and take care of this now!" he demanded. He looked around the crowd, but there were no volunteers. Everyone stood motionless.

Then, a small commotion broke out around the bar, snaking its way toward the gathering. Link watched as people jumped aside to allow someone through.

All heads turned as Pipit pushed through the edge of the crowd. Hesitantly, he joined the group of knights who were attempting to tame the turmoil. Perusing, he spotted Groose's bloody nose. With his face contorted in dread, he slowly turned to see Link, as well.

"Oh, great!" he said, throwing his hands up. "I was hoping it wasn't you. You hadn't come back yet-"

"You're an SKA knight?" the man interrupted, examining Pipit's uniform.

"Yes," he answered, straightening himself up.

_Oh gods, we're so screwed! _Link thought hopelessly. The man's eyes drifted upward.

"A yellow uniform. Last year's tunic, am I correct?" Pipit curled his lip and shrugged. "You're only a first-year knight-student." He turned to address the crowd again. "Is there anyone here with a higher rank who can escort these two back to SKA?" Before anyone could respond, Pipit stepped up.

"I'm perfectly qualified to handle this. This guy is my friend, and thisgargantuan buffoon," he said accusingly, gesturing toward Groose, "is the biggest jerk at the academy." Groose sneered. "Take my word for it, my buddy here wouldn't have swung at him unless he was defending himself." The man narrowed his eyes.

"Did anyone witness this fight?" he called loudly. Even if someone had bore witness, they were not willing to abduce. He grudgingly brought his gaze back to Pipit.

"I don't know how Skyloft Academy runs things, but at Twilight Academy, students, _especially _knights-in-training…" he said, shooting Link a disapproving look, "face serious consequences for fighting outside of the sparring ring."

"As they do at Skyloft, as well," Pipit concurred. "But I can vouch for my friend and tell you with absolute certainty that there is no reason for him to be taken back right now."

"Well, someone needs to take responsibility for what happened here. This is _not_ proper conduct for knights-in-training." Feeling dozens of eyes on him, Link looked down.

"That _someone _is going to be me, _sir,_" Pipit stated bluntly.

"Not unless a higher-ranked knight assumes the task that you deem unnecessary." They silently challenged each other. Pipit gave an intense stare, hoping no Skyloft knights would decide to go off on a power trip and usurp his authority as Link's superior.

The only response received from the crowd was absolute silence. Pipit sighed.

"A popularity contest. Is that what we have here?" the man gnarled. Pipit gave no reply. "Well, if you're not going to take care of this, then someone else needs to." Pipit strode closer to him, knowing what he meant.

"You know as well as I do that you have no jurisdiction here," he said without an ounce of diffidence. "As long as there are Skyloftian knights present." The pair's eyes met in stubborn tenacity. Waiting, the man lowered his shoulders. Swayed by Pipit's determination, he stepped down.

"If this is how things are dealt with at your academy," he growled, creeping closer to the knight in yellow, "then I have _no_ idea how SKA produces knights who possess any sort of quality_,_ _whatsoever_."

Flinching at the scornful words, Pipit found himself shouldered harshly to the side. Invading Pipit with his hateful eyes, the tall knight marched past him, followed by his four loyal friends. Everyone watched the men disappear up the stairs.

Everyone, that is, except for Pipit, who was busy looking blankly into space. As the spectators began to voice their thoughts, he shot his friend an irritated look.

"Well, believe me," Groose said in a nasalized voice, pinching his swollen nose, "you can count on a meeting with the Headmaster tomorrow." He stomped up to Link, quietly enraged.

"Your ass is mine," he threatened fumingly. Link peered at Pipit as the disgruntled knight-in-training, along with his group of friends, forced their way to the door.

Within seconds, the gathering of people had begun to disperse, casually trickling away to resume their previous, and more enjoyable, activities. Amidst the diffusion, the two friends stared at each other. And stared. And stared some more.

Link drummed his fingers nervously against his thighs. Pipit crossed his arms and shook his head. Link raised his eyebrows and shrugged.

"Was that some sort of attempt at revenge?" Pipit asked, his chin lowering. Link didn't like the look in his eye.

"What?" he asked.

"To get back at me for earlier," Pipit continued. Link shifted his eyes, wondering who was more under the influence – him, or Pipit.

"Pipit, I didn't-" Not allowing for another word to be uttered, Pipit jumped forward, clutched Link's tunic and heaved him back until his back encountered a very hard wall. Wide-eyed, Link finally realized just how cross he truly was.

"What the hell are you doing?" Pipit demanded, his eyes burning into his friend's.

"Pipit, come on," Link placated, trying to convince him to release his grip.

"When I suggested that you let go of your worries and have fun, I didn't mean start acting pugnacious and beat the crap out of someone."

"Payback has nothing to do with it," Link insisted.

"Do you realize that those guys can report me?" Pipit asked, pointing to the second floor. "Do you understand that I could be suspended, or even expelled from the academy?" He waited for an explanation.

Link knew his friend to a tee. Pipit's overly laid-back demeanor was counterbalanced by a very deep, and rather dark, intensity. Link didn't see this side of him very often, as it didn't appear unless he was _really_ upset. When it did show itself, however, Link knew to tread lightly.

"Do I really need to get into the many reasons why I could be stripped of my knighthood for defending you?" Pipit burred.

"No, _Pipit_," Link replied, more indignantly than he had intended. Pipit might have been fed up, but so was he.

"If you know so much, then I repeat, what the hell are you doing?"

"Well, it has nothing to do with getting you in trouble, I can tell you that."

"Then _what is it_?" Pipit emphasized, gritting his teeth. "'Cause I'd really like to know what it is that I could lose everything that I've worked my entire life for."

"Groose said something nasty about Zelda," Link divulged. Pipit just gawked at him.

"Something _nasty_ about Zelda?" Link nodded. "All of that was for some offhand remark? Groose is always doing that! What's so out of the ordinary about it?"

"It was more than offhand, Pipit. You should've heard what he said."

"I don't really care what he said. You just risked getting your butt in some serious trouble over a girl. And not _just_ a girl, but one who isn't even willing to give you the time of day right now. What're you thinking, man? You wanna get kicked out of the academy?"

"Of course not."

"Well, you're damn lucky I came to your aid."

"_My hero_," Link jeered. Pipit furrowed his brow.

"What's your problem, anyway? Doing _stupid_ stuff, and then getting pissed at me for helping you?"

"Maybe you should've just let those guys drag me back home." Pipit shook his head.

"I just took one for you back there. Can't I get a 'thank you'?"

"Thanks, Pipit," Link said, throwing a fist in the air. "_For the team!" _Pipit scoffed and shook his head again.

"And sarcasmous strikes again."

"And _ignoramus _is here to accompany him," Link retorted_._ "Let's not forget that the only reason I came on this side of the building _at all _was 'cause of that same tragic inability to shut up that you mentioned before. You should'a been talking about _yourself._"

"Well, I guess we're even then, 'cause I could have easily had my ass handed to me back there. I _know_ some of my pride was."

"It wasn't that bad," Link said.

"Wasn't that bad?" Pipit asked, exasperated. "That guy could be a seventh-year knight student for all I know. I'd never be able to defend myself against him in front of the Headmaster."

"I'm sure nothing will come of it."

"Even so, it's the principal of the thing."

"You didn't have to come over here," Link contended.

"How could I not have? What sort of _horrible_ friend would I be if I just sat back and watched?" They glared at each other.

"Well, you know what I think?"

"What?" Pipit sighed.

"I think neither one of us is in our right mind right now, so, I'm through talking." With that, Link shoved past his friend and headed back to their table.

"Well, you're probably right about that," Pipit murmured in agreement. "Still gonna get you back, though…"

….

"And that's how Link managed to burn down the arboretum at the junior knight academy, which led to half the school being destroyed. And, he set a teacher's hair on fire, thereby earning himself the title of 'Troublemaker of the Century'. He has yet to live down that unfortunate harum-scarum reputation, poor guy."

With a highly satisfied grin, Pipit folded his hands. Everyone at the table turned their attention to Link. With face in hand, he took a frustrated breath.

"Wow, that story was…pretty awesome and pretty terrible at the same time," a young man chimed in.

"Oh my gods," Jade said, flipping her black braid around. "So, what ended up happening?"

"They beat the hell out of him," Pipit replied with an unsavory tone. Everyone gasped. "Yeah, he said it was pretty horrible. He would've gotten away with it, too, but someone ratted him out. We never found out who. I don't think he could sit down, let alone _walk_ without limping for a week. I think they invented a new beating stick just for the occasion." Link buried his face. "This was back when they were allowed to punish the students like that. Ha, I feel like I'm dating myself."

"I remember back when corporal punishment was permissible, but I never heard of it actually _happening _to someone," Rhys said, astonished. He took a long sip. Chaise tapped his fingers against his pained face.

"Well, if you'd attended junior knight school in Skyloft you would'a heard about it," Pipit remarked with a laugh. Caressing his forearm, Karane gave Link a devilish smile. Too annoyed to say anything, Link worked on his drink.

"Hey, looks like the band is starting to go back up," Jade noted. "I better run to the girls' room and powder my nose." Rhys's partially drunken gaze followed her slim frame as it slipped away.

Link and Chaise turned to see their fellow band mates make their way to the front. Stretching, Chaise got up from his seat.

"Hey, you gonna play again?" he asked, running a pale hand through his short red hair. "I'm not much of a dancer, so I'll probably be up there all night." With heavy eyes, Link shook his head.

"Nah, I'd be useless up there at this point," he admitted. "I dunno if I'm more tired or buzzed right now, but…yeah, I'm not even gonna try..."

"Alright, well, I'm sure I'll see you out on the dance floor, then." With a spring in his step, Chaise moseyed up to the staging area. Link began to regret his recent drinking session.

"So, my fellow toper," Pipit shouted, traveling across the empty seats to rough up Link's shoulder, "how's that hearty draft coming along?"

"It's fine," Link grumbled, rubbing his face.

"Need another?" Pipit asked, about to flag down Kina.

"No! That's okay…"

"Don't want another inebriant?"

"I'm good…"

"This is gonna be the best. Your band plays the best dancey stuff ever."

"Always a delight to provide you with an avenue to make a fool of yourself, Pipit."

"Exactly," he said. "That's how I roll. I'm gonna do you proud, buddy." Link rolled his eyes and mumbled. With a touch of jealousy, he observed the customary tuning of instruments and organizing of sheet music unfolding onstage.

"The acoustics are incredible in this place," Pipit said. "Supposedly you can hear everything just as well up on the second floor. And they don't even need anything to amplify the sound. Whoever built this place had a mind for fantastic parties."

"Hoo-rah," Link said. "'Cause there's nowhere else I'd rather be right now than _right _here."

"Cheer up, stick-in-the-mud. I'm taking you down with me, and you're gonna love every second."

At long last, the music finally started. Loud and intense, it made Link's head spin.

After a long night of waiting, one person after another jumped onto the dance floor to lose themselves. People everywhere were magnetized by the enticing rhythm. To Link's aching head, however, it was nothing more than a noisy vibration.

"Were we this loud before?" Link shouted to his friend. "Where'd the bass come from?"

"Oh dang, yep, I know this one," Pipit shouted, bounding to his feet.

"Ugh, and it begins," Link muttered. Pipit, determined to get him on the floor before the first song was over, proceeded to vanquish the personal space between them. After receiving an ardent shove, Pipit got right back in his face, skipping around like a weirdo - but, a determined weirdo.

"You need to back off, Pipit…" Link complained, looking up.

"You can't tell me you're not going out there!" Pipit exclaimed. "This is your anthem, man! Embrace it! Forget about everything else!" Link just stood there as he was circled by his well-oiled friend.

"Pipit, you need to get outta my face," he said, holding back a laugh. Pipit grabbed him by the shoulders, forcing foot movement from him.

"Time to get four on the floor, bud, come _on_!" Seizing Link's arms, he started him off with a few disco moves.

"_Fine! _I'll get on the floor if you get your hands off me!" Pipit grinned mischievously.

"'Bout time!" He grabbed Link by his shirt. With a toss, Link joined the expanding crowd. A veritable task force, Pipit strategically pushed him to the center of the floor to discourage escape.

"Come on, move!" Pipit yelled at him. "You won't be able to fight _this_ for long. I know you!" Link looked at him, feeling awkward.

"I really don't feel like doing this, Pip. I'd rather be out looking for Zelda-"

"Look, forget about that, she's probably not coming!" Link shook his head. "Come on, I _challenge_ you. So get with it, let's go!"

Link gave him a look, irritated that his friend was so good at provoking him. Pipit knew he couldn't resist a dance challenge.

"Show me what you got, ace!" Pipit said, egging him on. With one last eye roll, Link accepted. Happy as a clam, Pipit moved his feet, attempting to outmatch Link from the start.

During their jovial dance matches, one of them would mimic the other's steps, employing every bit of skill that he had to avoid falling more than half a beat behind. Swift and lightning fast to react, both young men were quite good at this game. Although a bit slower tonight, Link shook it off, refusing to let his drowsiness hold him back.

Putting aside Pipit's absurd antics to bait him, Link went with it, proving to himself that a few drinks weren't enough to slow him down very much. Watching his friend's feet and reacting in kind, he started smiling, forgetting about his stressful day. Pipit certainly had a way of distracting him from his troubles, even if he tended to create new ones.

Link was enjoying the freeing nature of the dance floor. Pleased with himself, Pipit put forth every fast-paced dance move short of break dancing that he could think of. He tried to trip Link up with his footwork, but to no avail. Link was right on top of him. He couldn't help but laugh. Pipit's theatrics were something else.

"Sorry, pal, _not _gonna work!" Link shouted.

After several minutes of having his agility shown up, Pipit quit. Link grinned.

The band segued into another song, spurring cheers from the crowd. The animated atmosphere was infectious, attracting dancers until the floor overflowed. Link cast his gaze upward to see that the second dance floor was just as full.

"Oh! I know this one too," Pipit said with a bounce.

"Gee, what a surprise_,_" Link replied.

Observing Pipit in his unsuspecting state was giving him ideas.

_I'm gonna get 'im…_

He waited for a few minutes...

Quashing the evil grin that was trying desperately to liberate itself, Link slid across the floor to avenge himself for Pipit's embarrassing storytelling. Unfortunately for him, Pipit was having too much of a good time with a certain blonde-haired knight to see Link approaching.

Seeing his opening, Link took advantage.

Smoothly above suspicion, Link danced up to his friend, grabbed his shoulders and stomped so hard on his foot that he nearly fell over. Pipit vanished into a sea of undulating bodies. Completely hysterical, Link stumbled off the dance floor before he ended up trampled.

Laughing harder than he had in a long time, he gripped his stomach and staggered back to his seat. He fell into his chair and face-planted onto the table, almost crying.

"Oh, that was the _best_," Link puffed. "Finally, I got you good… All this crap you've been doing to me all night…"

Recovering from the sheer delight of serving up some quick, and very sweet revenge, he rubbed his face.

Feeling vindicated, he stood up. He looked around, wondering what he should do with himself. There were several girls on the dance floor that he knew. Dancing with them was a possibility. Or he could step outside to sample the warm night air. Pondering for a moment, he decided that the latter was the most appealing option.

About to walk around the horde, Link found his purposeful step thwarted. Someone had grabbed him from behind. A long arm wrapped around his chest and shoulders, squeezing him around the neck. A second arm pulled his hands behind his back. Link's breath caught in his throat as a face brushed against his cheek. He gasped.

"Not much of a knight to let me walk up and grab you like this," Pipit said. His arms tightened around his friend.

There was no doubt about it - between being tipsy and mysteriously grabbed, Link was startled. On top of that, he knew that Pipit was probably angry beyond all reason.

Link rapidly tried to diffuse the tension.

"Well, I'm not a knight yet," he replied, trying to achieve a sense of calmness between them. His chest heaved.

"Calm down," Pipit said, talking into Link's ear. Link tried to cock his head away. "Knock it off. I'm trying to help you." Link stood still and looked around.

"What?" he asked, confused.

"Well, it's a bit of your designated keep-your-butt-out-of trouble comrade helping you, as well as your friend getting you back for nearly breaking every toe on his left foot. Little bit of this, little bit of that."

"What are you talking about, Pipit?"

"Look straight ahead." Link looked in front of him.

"I don't see anything," he said.

"There's a girl. Dark hair. Black knight's tunic. Right in front of you at the bar." At last, Link saw who Pipit was referring to.

"Yeah, so?" he asked, shaking his head.

"Well, let me fill you in. Her name is Lyn. She's from Twilight Knight Academy. She's a third-year knight-student. She also happens to be the worst, most obsessive stalker to ever walk the planet. She will follow you home, harass you incessantly, and won't stop until she's ruined your life. And guess who her latest target is?" Link took a moment to breathe, trying to catch the oxygen that was eluding him.

"Uh, me?" he asked restlessly. Pipit nodded, his face brushing against Link's ear. He shuddered.

"You haven't noticed, but she's had her eye on you all night."

"So…how are you helping me right now?" Link asked, afraid to hear the answer. Who knew what Pipit was capable of at the moment.

"Well, you'd do well to make it appear as though I've _sent your heart aloft_, in a moment anyway," Pipit said. Link laughed nervously.

"Oh, you've already done that, Pipit." He glanced expectantly at the young woman.

"Good."

"Why are you all over me?" Link asked apprehensively. "What's with the death grip?"

"'Cause we're 'embracing', that's why, and you whaling on me would ruin my attempt to help you." Link nodded slowly, still unsure. The music continued to blast all around them, reverberating in their ears.

"Oookaaaay, so…this is gonna make her think we're together and leave me alone?"

"No, but this will," Pipit said. "You'll thank me later." Releasing Link from his grasp, he twirled him around. Purposely playing up the awkward-factor, Pipit looked at him before smashing their bodies together in a bear hug.

The girl watched.

"Agh!" Link grunted as his face bashed into his friend's hard chest. "Pipit, your chainmail…gods…"

"Well, I was sparring today, _dear_. And why aren't you hugging me back?'

"I think we're close enough," Link groaned. Retreating a few inches, Pipit took Link's face in his hands. He peered down at him. Link stared back before shifting his gaze to the intrusive girl. He wondered what in the world she was thinking about all of this. He searched the area, eternally grateful that no one seemed to notice them.

"Pipit, if you were anyone else, I'd knock you out," he admitted. "And while I'm being honest, I don't think you're trying to help me _at all_." Pipit's face remained blank. "You've made your point, okay? I won't-"

Before he could finish, Pipit had brought their faces together, creating the illusion of a kiss. Link's eyes burst open.

"I swear to the Goddess if you don't get off of me right now…!"

"Chill out, it's for dramatic emphasis," Pipit stated. "It's not like I'm actually kissing you." He slid his mouth to Link's ear, playing lightly with his silver earring. Gasping, he heard Pipit whisper in a low, sultry voice,

"Not unless you want me to."

Through was Link's endeavor to avoid exacerbating the situation. With a fed up shout, Link sent his friend back several feet. Ireful, he stopped to catch his breath.

"You go too far, Pipit," Link said. He turned to walk briskly out the back door. Pipit was left alone, looking toward the bar. With a distastefully confused look on her face, the girl left.

"Well, my work here is done," Pipit said confidently, fixing the top of his tunic. Pipit grinned to himself as he focused on the door. Link had disappeared. Pipit's smile faded.

"Don't ever stomp on my foot again," he said austerely.

…..

Link plodded out the back door, hot with anger and full of chaotic thoughts. His best friend, and his malicious intentions, had left him baffled. Refocusing his energies, he breathed in the sweet, pumpkin-fragranced air. The stars attracted his infuriated eyes.

"Pipit, you lunatic…" he mumbled_. I'd rather have an insane stalker after me my whole life than suffer through that again. What else is gonna happen today…?_

Link scanned his surroundings. People were situated everywhere, yet he felt hopelessly alone. He realized, once more, that Zelda had failed to show up. Chewing his lip and rubbing his forehead, he concluded that to fly home would be best.

Groups of people stood about the lush grounds, sitting, talking and drinking, but not a single individual was waiting to be escorted home. The night was still young.

Link sighed. He certainly wasn't going to depend on Pipit to accompany him home tonight. Recognizing a group of knights from a neighboring residential building, he walked up to them. Clearly, he and Pipit weren't the only students who were proudly displaying their Skyloft uniforms this evening.

"Hey," Link called out to them.

"Oh, hey, Link!" one of them said, adjusting his beige collar. "What's up, man?"

"Any idea when the first wave will be escorted home?"

"Eager to get outta here already, huh?" Link shrugged. "Well, no one's gathered yet to go home, so probably not for a while. I don't think it's even midnight yet." Seeing Link's obvious disappointment, he tapered his brown eyes. "Unless it's an emergency. Or you just really, really want to go. Otherwise…" Link shook his head.

"No, that's okay…I'll just wait. Thanks, though." He turned away, leaving the knight's polite smile unreturned.

Spotting a stone bench, he dragged himself to the drop off. The sweetness of the warm, solstitial evening had receded, giving way to a dark, and unfamiliar melancholy. What was going on with his friends…?

Descending to the stone, he peered into the distance, mesmerized by the purple and orange light that had mixed into the black sky. The moon was breathtaking. Daydreaming, he rocked to the rhythm of the music that poured out of the building. He blinked a few times, allowing the events of the day to sink in.

_Can this day get any more bizarre? _

Then, a light, airy, feminine voice came out of the darkness.

"Going so soon?"

Link nearly jumped out of his skin. His head flipped around, ripping his flighty thoughts from their perch in the sky. As soon as he saw the voice's owner, he was star-struck – far more so than when he'd sat stargazing.

Silently, he watched her take a seat next to him. She looked straight into his eyes. A lovely, flowery smell filled his nose. His heart went volant at the sight of the woman he'd been spying on all night.

"What? Say something!" She smiled. Link sat, utterly bewildered. She giggled lightly.

"Am I so beautiful that you have no words left?"


	6. Until I Noticed You

**Reviews/thoughts/constructive criticism are always appreciated. Don't be afraid to leave some. Thanks guys, enjoy the chapter!**

**Note: *Noticed* by Mutemath played in my head as I wrote this. Hence, the title.**

Chapter 5

Until I Noticed You

There she sat, the woman who Link had been mystified by all evening; the stranger who would not depart from his thoughts, but who hovered within them, perplexing and entrancing him. Where had she even come from?

Link simply stared. From across the room she had been stunning. Now, as though in the company of an enchantress, he was at a loss for words. The elegant profile that he had caught a glimpse of earlier was just the beginning. As he had expected, she was beautiful. Not just beautiful, but magnificently so. He had never seen anyone like her.

He started to suspect that perhaps this evening wasn't a complete fiasco, after all. He almost grinned, secretly basking in what her presence had to offer his receptive eyes.

_But… Zelda._

He swallowed, suddenly feeling a twinge of guilt. He felt his face become florid – an unfamiliar sensation. He looked away.

A peasant before royalty – the most accurate way to describe his current situation. If he'd had anything to say in that moment, he would have choked on it.

Glossy red hair draping her shoulders; umber eyes lined with thick black lashes; skin as fair as porcelain; ebon lace flowing down her figure like wax streaming down a candle…

He fidgeted, determined to find out whether this sight was real, or a product of his earlier indulgence.

"Well?" she asked.

His reaction time felt bogged down. A clever answer to her original question should have come to him by now. Still, he had to say _something_. Ready to speak, he opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He was learning how unpleasant making oneself into a fool could be, even if the observer might be nothing more than a byproduct of inebriation.

A coy smile dressed her full lips. "Am I?" She leaned forward as if to allow her proximity to draw his words. He retracted slightly, chary of the lack of space between them. "I'll reword it, then. Perhaps you don't understand." Too busy watching her mouth as she spoke, Link missed the arcane glint in her eye. "Am I so hot that I've caused your tongue to tie itself into knots?"

Link blinked at her a few times. Pert? Sassy? Flippant? He couldn't decide. Whatever the case, she was flirting with impertinence. He started to smile, intrigued. His right fist rose into the air before gently shaking up and down. The young lady's nose scrunched in wonder.

"What?" she asked with a bemused grin. Link bit his tongue to wake it up.

"It means 'yes' in sign language," he managed to say, giving a subtle sigh.

_Thank goodness I didn't stutter._

"Yes…?" she asked, lifting a brow.

"Yes…to both of your questions." Link smiled in spite of himself. "I've got a bit of a problem: I don't want to appear rude by evading your question, yet my tongue has turned itself hopelessly into jelly." His smile weakened. "I figured, 'Well, my hands are working'…" He shrugged one shoulder, hoping she wouldn't write him off as an idiot.

"Are you being serious? Or are you joking…?" She edged nearer once more, cocking her head. Link's grin grew on one side.

"As the overabundance of honesty-inducing alcohol in my bloodstream is my witness, yes, I am definitely telling the truth." The light laugh that comprised her response did nothing but arouse his suspicions that she thought him a fool; a drunken one, at that.

"Well, honesty _is_ the best policy, after all," she said, her eyes shooting into the distance. Link took the opportunity to study her. If only he could deduce her intent. Her comportment was puzzling, though. His knack for reasoning was lagging at the moment, as well. Her gaze returned to him. "For a minute, I thought you were mute. Or perhaps taciturn in nature. _Or_, at the very least, feeling standoffish."

Link sat quietly. She confused him; yet, each of her words chipped away at his skepticism. He breathed through a momentary dizzy spell, trying to disguise his malaise.

"I am sometimes," he said solemnly, not knowing what else to say. It was true, he supposed. And she had said that she liked the truth… He lowered his head, finding her stare benign, yet accusatory.

He felt oddly out of his depth.

Her eyes had a pull of their own, however; it took only a few seconds for his gaze to return to her. They peered thoughtfully at one another. Link bit his tongue again, regretful of having nothing of substance to say.

_Awkward…_

His eyes were burning. How bloodshot they were, he couldn't tell. He thanked the Goddess for the present darkness. Surely this woman didn't need another reason to get up and leave.

"So, why are you out here?" she asked. "Why aren't you inside with your friends?" Link sighed, thankful that the conversation had been revived.

_But… _He froze, hoping that the knot in his stomach was for naught.

"My friends? You know my friends?" His heavy eyelids suddenly didn't feel so heavy anymore. She grinned and shifted her eyes.

"Naturally. I was watching you tonight, silly."

There was that redness again…

"You were watching me?" A casual nod met his look of dread. He looked at the moon, determined to steer clear of the unbearable abasement that was sure to grip him if the discussion didn't change course soon. He thought for a moment. "I felt like I was the one with my eyes on _you_ all night. So, if you were watching me_, _then I was oblivious."

"Apparently so," she stated. "I saw almost everything that you did tonight." He clutched the stone beneath him, unable to keep his eyes averted for long.

"Uuum…" he started, "exactly how much did you see?" He looked at her just in time to see a devilish grin.

"I like how you're all squirmy," she said, watching his every move. He worked the end of the bench like a ball of dough. "Were the things that happened tonight really so bad?"

His expression left little to the imagination. "Uh," he began, "_yes_. Yes, they certainly were. Completely and totally yes." He gave her a small fist shake. Her nose wrinkled again.

"Oh, don't be a baby," she said with a smirk. He didn't know whether to glare, scoff, or both.

"A baby? Are you kidding me?" He paused, questioning his lack of manners. No matter what her demeanor, this woman still deserved his respect. He was a knight-in-training, he reminded himself. "Bad luck and misfortune have been the…" He stopped again, having trouble thinking of the right word to say. He silenced a frustrated grumble. He normally wasn't the best with words, but his vocabulary was almost always sufficient to convey his ideas. Except, of course, if he was partially drunk. The young lady crossed her legs, waiting patiently. "…The leitmotif of the last twenty-four hours of my life." He breathed in, pleased.

"Oh?" she asked. With an elbow resting nimbly on her knee, she cradled her chin and looked at him expectantly.

"Someone needs to explain to me why I even came to this dreadful party in the first place," he said.

"Why is that?"

"The friend I was supposed to meet never showed, my best friend's gone off his rocker, and I came _this_ close to being escorted home by a bunch of angry knights." He gave her a subtle 'is that enough explanation for you?' look. She barely moved, however, signaling that she wanted more. "I just don't know what's going on lately. I feel like…" He brought his hands up as if to grasp something that turned out to be suddenly intangible. "…Like everything's coming against me for some reason."

The young woman merely drummed a manicured thumbnail against her jawline. Her silence spoke of judgment, but put forward mainly scrutiny. Link supposed that in light of what she had witnessed tonight, she had every right to a thorough analysis; but for what purpose, he didn't know.

He looked down at his hands as he continued. "…Like something insidious, some sort of trouble is…following me. Except I don't know what it is, or what I did to cause it."

He didn't know why he said it, what he was trying to achieve by saying it, or what effect it would have. All he knew was that she seemed open to what he was telling her; or, if nothing else, marginally concerned. She was listening, anyway, which was an improvement over Pipit's wheedling, or Zelda's absence.

"Mmm," was all she said at first. Link's ears perked, sensing something other than forced politeness.

Unreadable, this girl was. Poised to speak, she sat up.

"Well, I don't know your entire situation, but I do know this." As her eyes made a connection with him, so did her voice. "You spent a good part of tonight playing the most amazing violin I've ever heard." She paused, allowing him to acknowledge the fact. "You gave a grandiloquent jerk exactly what he deserved."

Link cringed. She'd seen the fight. But before he could dwell on her unspoken disapproval, the silky sound of her voice wooed his focus. She was a pleasant distraction for a troubled mind.

Link's head buzzed lightly, but agreeably. It made listening to a pretty redhead seem even better. He was wary of her, yet…

He wasn't sure. All he knew was that he was thrilled that she had joined him by the overlook.

"And the pièce de résistance of the entire evening…" she said.

While hearing her voice complimented the enjoyable tingling in his body, he wasn't so lulled that he failed to catch her drift.

_Oh no… I hope she didn't see—_

"…What happened with Pipit…" Link mumbled, realizing he had finished his thought aloud.

"Hmm?" the woman asked, her amusement beginning to show.

"Oh, sorry," Link said, rubbing the back of his neck. He blinked slowly. "I mean, did you see what happened with my friend? Near the dance floor?" Her broadening grin was an answer in itself.

"I do believe I saw a rather nice looking gentleman showing you some love over by the dance floor. Yes." She folded her svelte hands neatly in her lap. The shallow dip of black lace between her knees snagged his attention for a few seconds.

"You did?" he asked, the growing dread jostling him from his daze.

"Mmhm," she replied.

_Oh, man. What must she think of me?_ He swallowed hard, tired of having to fend off the blood that was still trying to rush to his face.

"Is he your boyfriend?" she asked pointblank.

Link stared. He couldn't believe she had just asked that; and so deadpan, too.

He started to speak, but hesitated. Maybe if he said yes, she would graciously dismiss herself and end his misery; the misery that he was currently wading in as he waited for the inevitable—

This woman wasn't going to stick around for long. She couldn't possibly. Good sense would most certainly pull her away, based on what she'd witnessed tonight – after she had gotten her kicks with him, of course.

And besides that, she was way too pretty. No ladies in Skyloft even came close to—

_Zelda…_

Link suddenly felt the call of duty nipping at his heels. He needed to search for Zelda, even if he'd looked all night to no avail, and even though he didn't want to get up and risk losing this treasure of a person in the crowd… Because, in that moment, it was just him, her, and the distant murmur of partygoers.

And a very large part of him didn't want it any other way.

He gnawed at his tongue. It was starting to get sore.

Was she really a treasure? Or was she just another pretty face who had bated his unguarded eyes? Nevertheless, she had kindled something within him.

"You're certainly taking your time in answering," she pointed out. Link's head snapped up.

"Oh," he began, deserting his thoughts. "The answer is no." She didn't move.

"No?" Her eyes narrowed, perhaps jovially, perhaps not. "If you're not lovers, then what are you? And don't tell me 'just friends'." Pursing her lips, she tucked her hair behind her ear, revealing two small silver hoops. Link tried not to gawk at the angular perfection that formed the lovely extremity. It was a challenge, though. He was a bit of an ear man.

"No, we're not just friends," Link admitted. Her head tilted in curiosity. "We're _best_ friends." She chuckled.

"No. You're more than that, as well," she insisted. "Even best friends – guys, anyway – don't get _that_ close."

Link didn't know what to say. Her assessment was correct; he and Pipit _were_ more than best friends. Defining exactly what they were wasn't something that he had ever tried to do, though. Nor did he believe that what existed between them could be pinpointed. Their relationship was abstruse, and, to an outsider, might resemble more than just plain and simple friendship.

But, this woman had blindsided him with the uncomfortable truth. Now that the question had been asked, Link figured that he owed her the courtesy of an answer. He gave it his best shot.

"We're closer than brothers," he told her at last. "But not like…_that_." After awaiting her approval for several seconds, he began to wonder why he was doing so. She wasn't saying anything, so he continued. "Does that _make sense_?"

His inquiry had come out regrettably caustic. He considered apologizing. But as his face softened, so did hers.

"Yes, it does," she said, exuding satisfaction. He eyed her, confused but relieved. "I just have one question for you." Link rubbed his face.

"What's that?"

"Why didn't you push him away?" The silence returned for a moment.

"Push him away? He was holding my hands behind my back. Pipit's pretty strong and—"

"No. I mean when he was pretending to kiss you."

_Gods, that sounds horrible…_ he thought. At least she recognized the simulative nature of their encounter. He certainly had no reason to doubt her intuition. Not yet, anyway.

"Uuum…" Link's mind blanked. He had a good answer… He knew he did…

"It's okay. You don't need to tell me." Her dry sympathy was somewhat comforting.

_Thank goodness…_

"I would just assume that if someone was restraining you, being who you are …" She gave a little grin. "That you would make them regret it."

…_She knows who I am?_

"What's your name?" he asked without hesitation.

"My name?" she asked slyly.

"Yes. You do have a name, don't you?"

"Mmm, smart boy," she stated. "Yes. I do happen to have a name." Link waited for a moment.

"…And it is?" Her wily smile increased.

"Well," she said, "I can tell just by looking at you that you're quite perspicacious. I can see it in your eyes. Why don't _you_ tell me what my name is?" Link sighed.

"How would I know that?" he asked, doing a poor job of concealing his mounting frustration.

"Oh, I don't know. I just thought maybe you knew."

"Are you gonna tell me?" he asked. Shrugging, she turned her eyes away. "Okay. If you're not gonna tell me your name, then how about where you're from?"

"Somewhere dark," she answered. Link looked off to the side.

"All right. So, you have a mystery name, and you're from somewhere dark. Are you a vampire?" She laughed.

"Well, I do have a couple of rather sharp teeth," she said, running her tongue over her right canine, "but, no."

Swaying from discreet to uninhibited and back again, Link let his eyes roam the exposed parts of her body. He willed his brain to work. Her light, unblemished skin meant only one thing.

"Twilight," he managed to say. He was glad he hadn't slurred.

"What makes you say that?" the woman asked, her eyes twinkling.

"I've never been there, but I heard it's perpetually gloomy and dreary." She lifted her hands and softly applauded him.

"Very good." She reached up and patted him on the head. He flinched. He couldn't decide whether it was something to be enjoyed or not. "Yes, smarty, I'm from Twilight Knight Academy."

"Do you always treat people like this? Who you've just met, I mean?" Seeing as though she'd just pet him like a dog, he claimed the right to ask.

"Treat people like what?" she asked in a kittenish voice.

_Like what…? _She was funny, too…

"Like _this_," he said, gesturing with his hand. "Dancing around on that fine line between playful and rude."

"Only to people I really, really like," she said, her tone unmistakably serious.

"Okaaay…" he said. "So…what's it like living in that part of the sky where the sun can't seem to shine properly?" He paused, feeling like he'd shoved his foot in his mouth.

_Good job insulting her home._

"Well, maybe the darkness _isn't_ due to the state's position in the sky, and atmospheric conditions such as _really misty air_ like science seems to suggest." She was all smiles and sarcasm. "Maybe an evil overlord from another dimension, who wants to take over the world, has engulfed the island in darkness."

"Sounds plausible," Link countered. His smile started to compete with hers.

"Well, that would mean that Twilight is in need of a savior. You offering?"

"I'm not in the hero business," he said flatly. "Besides, I'm not a knight yet. The noblest thing I've ever done is save Pipit from those gargantuan spiders he hates so much. Sorry, but looks like your little town is out of luck."

"Oh, really?" she asked with a little head bob. "Well, fortunately for us, science prevails. This time. No need for you to vanquish any evil overlords."

"Okay, well I would've volunteered Pipit for the job anyway. He told me today he's craving some adventure. Plus he's been…" He stopped to think. "…An excrescence on my otherwise laid back life lately. I'm entirely fed up with him right now." The woman gave an understanding nod. Link's shoulders loosened. "Anyway, how can you stand living in such a dark place? I need the sun, myself."

"I was raised there," she replied. "It's all I've ever known. Up until this week, anyway."

"Did you move?" Link asked. She nodded. "Um, to where?"

She waited a moment. By the time Link realized that she was leaving him hanging on purpose, he had already spent a few seconds wriggling in his seat. She leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees, observing.

"Why, to Skyloft of course," she said.

"You're joking. I haven't seen you around campus. If you really moved to Skyloft Academy, then how many days have you been there? What building do you live in?"

"Well, I suppose I can be _nice _and give you some answers." She gently tapped a finger to his nose, making him jump. "I moved into building fifty-two last Sunday." Grateful that she was gradually becoming less secretive, he asked,

"How have you been at the academy for five days? I haven't seen you around._"_

"It's simple, really. Surely you can understand." Still leaning down, she laced her fingers. "I've spent most of my time in my dorm room. It's going to take time for me to become acclimated to Skyloft. The sun is strong here, and I need to adjust to it. Otherwise, I'd have sunburned skin to contend with. As of now, I can only be outside from dusk to dawn." She flashed a versute smile. "Maybe I have a little bit of vampire in me, after all."

"As long as you don't have a taste for blood…" Link said.

"Well, who says I don't?" He twiddled his thumbs.

"So why did you move?" he asked. "And why right before finals?" She raised herself up on her seat.

"Well, to meet _you_, of course. You're a legend at TKA, you know. You _are_ undefeated in the sparring ring, are you not?" Link shifted his eyes.

"Yeah, I guess I am." He looked at her strangely. "Only since graduating from the secondary academy, though."

"Well, I don't think secondary school counts for much anyway, Link," she said firmly.

"So…you know _my _name then…"

"Of course. But I think I might rather address you by your honorary nickname."

"Uuum, what's that?"

"You haven't heard it before? Silly boy." She shook her head. "Everyone calls you the blue-eyed beast!" Link stared at her for a solid ten seconds.

"The blue-eyed what?"

"Blue-eyed beast. Because you're like a wild animal in the sparring ring. No one wants to go up against you. I find it rather fitting, actually. Ever since I heard about you, I've wondered what those _blue eyes _really looked like." He felt the weight of her stare. It was pleasant.

"Meeting me couldn't possibly be the reason you came all this way. TKA is a good hour west of here. Plus, finals are a week away. Why would you switch schools now?"

"Ah, you're right. There _is_ more to it." Link relaxed some more. "TKA has finals a week earlier than Skyloft, and my professors let me take my exams ahead of time so I could move unhindered. I needed a change of pace in my education. I heard that SKA is an exceptional school. So, I applied, got accepted, and made the decision to transfer just a couple of weeks ago."

"Okay," Link said, offering a cautious trust. "Well, I'm in building eleven, which is a three-minute walk from yours. I could always…" he paused, silently considering whether he should be saying this or not. "…Come by and see you… Show you around… If you want." They exchanged very different glances.

"I'd love that," she said amicably. Link returned her warm expression, relieved.

"So, what are you majoring in?" he asked.

"Well, I'm a graduate student, actually. I just finished my second year of knighthood study." Link's eyes beamed.

_A third-year knight-student…_

"Really?" he exclaimed, sitting up straighter. That explained her toughness.

Then, he stopped, feeling as if his excitement was wrong somehow.

_She's a knight, and she's gorgeous…_

Female knights weren't a rarity by any means. Many of them were gruff, however. While they made great friends – and sparring partners – Link never expected anything more from them.

He couldn't help but marvel at what he had discovered tonight.

"Yes, really_. _Silly boy. And speaking of _silly_ boy, you're also a _naughty _boy." She glared playfully.

"What?" he asked. "Why?"

"You're not even old enough to drink, are you?" He stared at her.

"Well, no. But I _will be _in a couple weeks." She shook her head in mock dismay.

"For shame," she teased. "Don't they enforce the drinking rules at SKA?"

"Not really. Alcohol consumption is probably the _only _thing that's handled pretty loosely here. Seems ironic, but…" He shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe they give us a little leeway 'cause of the pressures of academy life."

"I think I saw kids as young as sixteen at the bar," Midna said. "I guess your secondary school doesn't enforce the rules, either?"

"Not always …" Link leaned away from her.

"Mmhmm," she said. "But it _is _still officially against the rules for students under twenty-one to drink, right?"

"Yeah," he said, "if you wanna get technical about it."

"So, if I were to, I dunno, report you to the Headmaster of your school for underage drinking, what would happen?" Link's eyes came back to her with an uneasy glint. "I _am_ a third-year-knight-student, after all. And _you _aren't even a knight yet." With grace, she tipped in his direction, bringing their faces just inches apart. Not moving, Link gawked at her. As her eyes searched his, her lips closed in.

"I have _authority_ over you," she whispered. The words were delicate; just slightly breathy, and very provocative. He felt her breath on his skin as she laid a hand on his chest.

A feeling Link had never experienced washed over him. He felt a light squeeze around his stomach and ribcage, followed by the prickly sensation of goose bumps. Finally, he felt an inexplicable heat all over his body. After a shiver had jolted him from his haze and he realized how close she was, he found that his breathing had sped up a bit.

He froze. This woman's good-humored disrespect made him feel slighted; yet, it stirred something from within him. Something unfamiliar, but not at all disagreeable.

He jumped to his feet.

"Look, um…" he began, running his hand through his hair, "I think I'm gonna go inside. If you wanna stay out here, I won't be offended." The woman studied him from head to toe before making a move. She leisurely stood to her feet.

Link noticed that she wasn't as tall as she'd seemed inside. In fact, she was about the same height as him.

He almost didn't want her to follow him—

"I think I'll stay out here," she said, smiling.

—Until she said that.

His heart dropped straight into his gut.

"Do you dance at all?" she asked. The disappointment on his face gave way to hope.

"A bit," he said; an understatement… "Do you?"

"Yup," she said simply. She waited. Feeling more comfortable and in charge of himself, Link rolled his shoulders.

"Well, what're we waiting for, then?" he asked. He paused, listening to the music as it thumped in his chest. "How many basses are in there…?"

"The beat is certainly infectious," she said, tapping her foot.

They stood almost close enough to touch. Link looked at her hand, wondering what it would be like to hold it.

There was more he wanted to know about this woman, such as what it would be like to dance with her. Would they connect? Was she the type to barely move, or the kind that had no problem losing herself on the floor?

"Where'd those shoes go that made you so tall?" he asked, earning a small laugh from her.

"I took them off before coming outside. I put my dancing shoes on. Somehow, I knew I would end up on the dance floor." She gave a light wink, and Link nodded. He wondered if his somewhat temulent state was what was making this woman seem so captivating. He sighed. Maybe it was just _her_.

"Hey," Link said. "You haven't told me your name." She looked at the sky.

"How silly of me," she said. Picking up each side of her skirt with her fingertips, she dipped into a curtsey. As she bowed her head, she said,

"My name is Midna." While still bending down, she cast a look up to his watchful eyes. "Nice to meet you." He smiled.

"That's the best looking introduction I've ever seen," he said as she straightened up. "Midna." She drifted beside him again. "That name suits you perfectly." Their eyes locked together.

"Thank you," she said, stepping closer. Their chests joined, giving Link a taste of what her breasts felt like. They were soft…shapely…and on the large side… But not too large. Somehow, their lower bodies magnetized, giving him a sample of her hips, as well.

_How is this happening? Didn't we just meet?_

The rhythm of the dance floor slipped outside to meet them. Link couldn't tell if the brush of her body against his was intentional or not.

She was right – the beat _was_ infectious. Link wanted to get her inside. They'd be safer in there with other people around. At least he would be able to control their closeness a bit more.

He squeezed his eyes shut. He didn't want to move.

Not wanting to be ill-mannered, he rocked with her, but rapidly decided it was a bad idea. "You sure you don't want to come in?" he asked. Breaking away from her hold, he stepped toward the door of the Lumpy Pumpkin.

"I'm sure," she said. "The air is refreshing. It's clearing my head." She tilted closer. "You're not the only one to sample Pumm's wares, know what I mean?" He chuckled.

"I get it," he said with a nod.

"I'll be inside later," she assured him. "You leaving soon?" About to turn around, Link shook his head.

"Definitely not," he concluded. A flash of white appeared in the darkness as her smile widened; his did, as well. Prying himself away, he headed for the building.

"I'm glad," she said, watching him go. "You should go make up with your friend!"

Her suggestion caught in his ear like a hook. It wasn't that she had said the words; it was that the words reminded him of why he had come outside in the first place; _and_ what had made him so mad.

Now that he'd learned that people had seen what Pipit did – especially _her_ – he had even more reason to be livid.

Looking through the doorway, he zeroed in on the dance floor. He had a job to do.

The loud music joggled Link's brain as he crossed the threshold. Candles flickered along the walls. People were everywhere. The beat permeated his chest. The dance floor in front of the stage was as lively as could be. The party had certainly picked up while he was gone.

Making a beeline for the bustling mob, Link picked out the sounds of Ilia's flute and Chaise's bongos. One instrument he didn't hear, however, was Zelda's flute. He didn't even hear her harp.

"Where are you?" Link mumbled angrily to himself, pushing with care through the people.

Through movement and merriment, he at last spotted Pipit. A tall blonde woman clad in the same yellow tunic rested happily in his arms.

"Not for long, Pipit. Not for long." With eyes trained on his friend, Link scooted up to him, lifted a hand and jabbed him in the shoulder. Pipit turned with a start.

If Pipit had been anyone else, Link would've been surprised by the languid, glazed over look that he saw. But, as it was, Pipit always drank too much.

"What?" he asked brusquely. The young, fair-haired lady peered over his shoulder. Link paid her no mind.

"Feel like talking?" Link asked, disguising the statement as a question. His friend slowly rotated, turning his back on his pretty dancing partner. His skin was flushed and his forehead was slightly damp, attracting the short wisps of dark hair that were spilling out from his knight's cap. The wear of two late nights showed in his face.

"No," he spat. As he prepared to turn, Link clasped his arm. Pipit jerked to a stop.

"Don't you have anything to say?" Link asked, glowering at the back of Pipit's head. Pipit looked to the side, interested only in projecting his voice.

"Let me think." As Pipit stood unmoving and Link waited, nothing but blaring music sounded between them. "No."

Ripping his arm away, Pipit returned to his female friend.

"There's a girl I've been watching tonight," Link said loudly, trying to be heard not only above the music, but Pipit's diverted, one-track mind. Pipit placed his hands on the woman's slender waist. "She's really something." Pipit started to move with her once more. "She saw what you did earlier…" Pipit waved a hand behind him, attempting to shoo his friend away like a fly. "She says she understands, but I don't think she's ever gonna take me seriously because of it – because of _you_!"

At last, Pipit circled round. Lowering his gaze, he looked Link square in the eye.

"I think I have something to say now," he said dryly. "It serves you right!"

With no words to describe the emotion that was careening through him, Link just glared. Pipit stared back, impatient and cold.

"Serves me right?" Link repeated through gritted teeth. Pipit gave a stiff nod. "Well, Pip, you may not have much of anything for me, but I have _something_ for you…"


	7. The Garden

_Warning: Chapter rated T-16 for mild adult content._

Chapter 6

The Garden

Shocked, amazed and appalled: these were the only expressions in the crowd around the dance floor that night. Pipit's face seemed to be a mixture of all three.

The only exception was Link, who stood with eyes searing and face as hot as fire. He glowered at Pipit with the look of a best friend scorned. Dozens of witnesses looked on.

Even the music had come to a screeching halt, as if the sheer anger projected from one friend to the other had pulled its plug.

Slightly unsteady on his feet, Pipit rubbed his forehead and glanced at his boots. A few feet away, Link continued his stare. "Why did you just do that?" Pipit asked, his voice shaking.

"What?" Link asked, waiting for his friend's blue eyes to join his own.

"What? Are you serious?" Pipit stood up taller and looked at him coldly. "You're really on a roll tonight. First you're stressing too much over a girl, then you're punching somebody for no reason, and then you're demonstrating to everyone in this entire damn building how to give your buddy—who is a _guy_, let's not forget—a lap dance?"

"Isn't that what you wanted?" Link asked, as rigid as could be.

Pipit tossed up a hand. "Huh?"

"After grabbing me earlier like you did."

Pipit looked around at a couple of the bewildered faces. "Man, that was just recompense for earlier. And that's not nearly as bad as—"

"Then consider this payback," Link added. He couldn't be happier to see Pipit so discomfited.

Obviously exhausted and fumbling for coherence, Pipit blinked several times. "Nobody even saw that," he said. "No one that matters."

"Oh, someone saw it," Link said.

Pipit scoffed. "Oh, that girl. Whoopie."

"I was mad before I found out she thought you were my boyfriend."

Pipit swallowed a snicker. "Who cares? She's just one person. Look how many people you just made both of us look like a couple of total asses in front of. That's what you should care about."

Link shook his head and turned to leave the dance floor.

"Now where're you going?" Pipit called, his eyes drifting from Link to the many curious stares. He cleared his throat and pursued his friend.

Link kept going until he reached the corner by the front door. With arms crossed he tilted his chin up to meet what he already knew was going to be an accusatory look.

"Man, I just wanna…" Pipit pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes.

"What?" Link asked. "Fight me?" Pipit looked at the ceiling. "Because that's exactly what I had in mind."

"What? I'm not fighting you."

"Why not?" Link asked. "It's been building to this point since last night, hasn't it? You getting me in trouble with Owlan? Telling embarrassing stories about me? _Helping_ me with that stalker?"

"And I suppose you acting all indignant in flight class, jeopardizing my knighthood and smashing my foot are all completely excusable?"

"I say we bring this to the sparring ring."

Pipit chuckled. "Yeah right, pal."

Link shoved him in the chest, sending him back a step. "You need to challenge me."

"I said _no_," Pipit almost growled.

"I'm not taking no for an answer."

"What's it gonna prove?"

"I'm just tired of this game," Link said. "Whatever your problem is, it needs to be straightened out."

"_My_ problem?" Pipit paused for a second. "Look what you just did. I'd say you're the one with the problem!"

"Then let's settle this once and for all," Link said, holding his hands out.

Pipit leered at him. "No."

Nodding to himself, Link walked to Pipit's side. "I cleaned the first floor of your mom's house a few days ago." He watched his friend's ears perk up. "And she _paid me_."

Pipit tugged at his collar. "Not gonna work."

Grinning, Link walked around to face him. "She asked me to come once a week from now on." He rocked on his toes. He could've sworn that Pipit was a hair's breadth away from baring his teeth. Link leaned forward. "I'm thinking of saying yes."

Pipit sighed. "All right, fine," he mumbled. Link smiled. "Guess we should do it all formal-like." Spreading his arms to the sides he bent into a shallow bow. In a most deep and sarcastic voice, he stated, "I challenge you, Link, to a duel of the sword in ye olde sparring hall. What say you?"

With his hands behind his back, Link offered a knightly bow. "I accept your challenge." Watching each other, the two straightened up. "Tomorrow morning. Early. Before anyone in their right mind is anywhere near there. We use metal swords, not wooden ones. And wear your chain mail. You're gonna need it."

"Fine," Pipit said. "Now get outta my face before I disembowel you."

"You sure you don't want another dance?" Link asked, stepping away. Pipit's face suggested he was dangerously close to losing his temper, so Link left him alone.

Satisfied that he had finally pushed Pipit over the edge, Link sauntered his way back to the enlivening dance floor. He didn't bother to extinguish the smile on his face or the gratified hop in his gait, even as his peers looked at him as if he were nuts.

He grinned wider. His vision might have been fuzzy but one thing was clear—he had gotten what he wanted.

Back at his table he checked to make sure that his instrument was safely underneath. He picked his head up and scanned the crowd. _I wonder where Midna went?_ _Wonder if she's inside._

He swallowed, suddenly afraid. _I hope she didn't see what I did…_ His heart beat heavily a few times. His gaze dropped to his unfinished drink. He quickly swept it up and downed what remained. With a sigh he put down the glass, feeling better.

_No…_ he assured himself. _If she'd seen that she would've already been here asking me about it—_

"Hey."

Link leaped to the side. There she was.

"Sorry," Midna said. "Scared you, did I?"

"Oh, no…" Link brushed a wisp of hair out of his eyes.

Midna looked at him questioningly. "You all right?"

"Yeah," he answered.

"Did you reconcile with your friend?"

Link's mouth started to move before he'd decided what to say. "We…came to an agreement, so…yeah."

"Well, good."

Just like outside, Midna was inscrutable. Did her grin mean that she had seen what happened a few minutes ago? Or was she just…grinning?

"How long have you…been in here?" Link asked, trying to sound as casual as possible.

"Not long."

Link waited. "Not long?"

"Nope."

"So, like…a couple minutes?"

She looked up thoughtfully. "Maybe."

"Did you come in after the music stopped?"

"Yes, I did."

Link sighed and rubbed his face. "Good." Midna's eyebrow came up. "Well, I mean, okay."

"You sure you're all right?" she asked, searching him.

"Yeah, why?" He blinked.

"You seem worn out or something."

"I am a little, from not enough sleep, and a long day—"

"Too bad, because I was gonna ask if you'd like to dance." Midna leaned on her hands at the table's edge. With a mind of their own, Link's eyes dipped to her chest; it was being subtly presented by her stance.

"Um," he said, looking her in the face. "I'm always up for a dance."

She gave a soft yet pleased-sounding laugh. "Good." She cast an eye over the table and all of its empty mugs. "You had more to drink, didn't you?"

Link looked at his chest as if the proof was plastered there. "A little."

"Well, no more," Midna said, taking his hand. "I need an unspoiled dance partner."

"Right…"

With a fluttering heart, Link weaved in and out of people with Midna on his arm. He couldn't seem to take his eyes off of her.

As if what occurred with Pipit hadn't even happened, no one sent any ogles in Link's direction. With his sights set on Midna, he wouldn't have noticed anyway. He was already too enthralled to pay any mind to anything; not even the curious and perhaps jealous stares aimed at his new lady friend.

As fast as Link's annoyance over Pipit had subsided, he and Midna entered their own little world. Whatever sort of music was being played, it didn't matter. All he knew was that the stress on his overburdened brain was lessening, as if she was removing it bit by bit.

With heavy eyelids and swimmy vision, Link closed his eyes, relishing the feeling of her arms over his shoulders and her fingers on his neck. He had never danced so closely with a woman, not even Zelda. Cautiously, his hands traveled to her waist where they touched black lace for the first time. He opened his eyes again. Her bright sorrel irises burned in the dim firelight. He took a moment to appreciate her smile and fair skin.

She smelled amazing, she looked amazing, and her dancing was amazing. Link couldn't believe how lucky he was.

Bouncing back-and-forth between high-spirited and lethargic, he moved with her. Sometimes they were close, other times they didn't touch at all. No matter what, he was having the time of his life, and he didn't want it to end for anything in the world.

They laughed and held hands. He twirled her around and she twirled him in return. They mirrored each other's steps and got lost in each other's eyes.

Growing more and more tired, Link felt as if a time warp had sucked him in. He had no idea if minutes or hours had passed. The only thing he could be sure of was that he and Midna had, at some point, knitted themselves together. With their bodies attached from the hip up, he was losing his breath, and not just because he was getting fatigued.

Midna's skin was damp from exertion. Her expression was happy, antsy and inquisitive all at the same time. Link looked at her lips, expecting her to say something.

She brought her mouth to his ear. "Would you like to go outside?" she asked.

Link's breath came out in a huff as she brushed his earring. "Outside?"

"Yes."

He immediately found himself being led by the hand through masses of people. Before he could ask himself why he had so easily complied, he'd left the building behind.

The moist night air hit him in the face, forcing him to come to his senses. He could feel Midna's hand more as she pulled him through the raucous and past loud groups of people gathered here and there. She brought him past the area near the drop-off where they had met and into a lush, colorful, sweet-smelling garden. The music, although slowly fading as they furthered themselves from everyone else, thumped in the distance. The euphonious chirping of insects became the dominant sound as the music gave way to it.

The two crossed over a bubbling brook by way of a stone bridge. They passed several iron gates and walked beneath an ornate archway. Thick, deserted woods surrounded them on every side.

Link dropped heavily to the bench beneath the arch, sighing and groaning to himself.

"I could fall asleep right now," he said, rubbing his eyes and leaning onto his knees. "I can barely feel my feet."

Midna looked at him. "I can take you home," she said. He looked over at her. "And you wouldn't even get in trouble."

He laughed. "It depends what sort of trouble you're referring to." He eyed her slowly. "Well, have you taken night patrol classes? Do you have night escort training?"

"Of course. I wouldn't offer otherwise, silly."

"You like to call me that. Am I really that silly?"

Midna giggled lightly. "You are." She reached up to rub his upper back.

"And you like to touch me a lot, too," he added with a weak chuckle.

"Well, you seem to like it. Don't you? Unless it's just my imagination." Link clammed up for a few seconds. With no response to give, he glanced at her over his shoulder. "Hah. Okay, then." She bowed her head to look him in the eye. "Your mouth might be slow to admit it, but your body doesn't lie."

The way one side of her mouth curled made Link's toes do the same. He knew what she was referring to, and it was too embarrassing to think about. He turned his face away and pressed a finger to his forehead, wishing he could propel himself under the nearest rock. He thought for a moment and would have been quicker to respond, but his face was burning. He just shook his head.

A cold gust of wind whipped past, offering whatever relief it could.

"Hoping I wouldn't notice?" Midna asked. Link grimaced. "It's impossible not to notice something that's that, well…" She shrugged.

"You were rubbing against me for…" Link cleared his throat. "A while."

"Oh, I wasn't blaming it on you."

Link turned to her. "No?"

She smiled and balanced his chin on her finger. "No matter how you slice it, _you_…" she began, placing her hands around his face. She looked into his eyes and stopped.

Link stared back. "I what?"

Midna studied his lips like they held a secret. In a slow, careful motion her head came down until her mouth was resting on his. Rattled, Link pulled back.

Midna's hands came down. She waited a moment. "If you don't want me to…"

Ambivalent looks were exchanged in the thick darkness. A myriad of thoughts hurtled through Link's mind.

"You've never really done this before, have you?" Midna asked.

_I guess the question isn't, 'Am I really that silly?', but, 'Am I really that obvious?'_ Link sighed.

Midna's eyebrow came up. "I feel like I'm robbing the cradle."

Scoffing, Link stood up, staggered for a moment, and then gained his footing. "I'm almost twenty-one. I'm not a child or anything. I've just chosen to avoid it, that's all."

"Why?" Midna asked, standing up next to him. He slid back on his heels. "I know how many women are after you. The fact that you've avoided it—that's impressive."

Her approval wasn't lost on him in the slightest. "I just haven't wanted to," he said. "Not…" He took a breath. "…Yet." Her eyes seemed to encase him. He rubbed his neck.

Midna folded her hands. "You must be the opposite of every guy I've ever met."

"I'm not sure whether to think that's a good thing or a bad thing."

"It's not good _or_ bad," Midna replied, stepping closer to him. Link felt every muscle tense. "It's wonderful."

Link's mouth opened as if to allow a response, but no words were afforded him. All he could focus on was how fervent her last two words had sounded. The way she was looking at him certainly wasn't assisting him in bringing forth any sort of articulation, either.

The soft sounds of the forest at night did little to soothe Link's nerves. His attraction for her was doing battle with his convictions. Midna was gorgeous and enticing, and he felt so utterly drawn to her, yet he couldn't shake the feeling that he was playing with fire.

He took a hasty breath and shut his eyes, denying that that clutching, squeezing feeling was trying to overtake him again. Worse still, he knew that Midna recognized his discomfort.

She bit her lip. "I'll back up and give you some space. If I'm encroaching, then—"

"I didn't say that," Link said faster and more forcefully than he'd intended. As he watched her start to smile, he wondered if he had indeed interrupted her like that—and with such a flagrant word choice.

Midna stepped closer. "What do you mean?" she asked, her chest lightly grazing his. He held his breath, blinking a few times as he looked at her. Was she taller than him?

He couldn't tell. He looked down. Did it really matter?

His mind floated back to his verbal slip-up. She must have really thought he was obvious now. "Uh…" he began. Wishing he knew how to stall for time to come up with an explanation, his thoughts jumbled, rendering his excuse-concocting ability useless. "Ugh," was all he managed to say.

Link jumped as one of Midna's hands took his shoulder. The other slipped behind his head, urging his eyes up; they locked with hers.

There was no question what she was communicating—one of two things had to happen straightaway: either they had to share something, anything, in this moonlit garden tonight, or they had to turn themselves around and get out of here. Quickly.

Nodding, Link couldn't agree more.

His heart pounded in his ears. He looked at her mouth again, deliberating whether or not it was as soft as it looked.

"Why do I feel like I've known you forever?" she asked in a near-whisper.

Link's eyes dropped. "I—" But Midna's finger had settled on his lips.

"Ssssshh." She cocked her head. "I like it better when you're silent."

Link just gaped, not understanding why her teasing was such a turn-on. His mouth was faintly open but he held his thoughts back.

Instead he breathed in the fresh breeze and fragrance of the forest. Maybe it would clear his head. It was then that he noticed Midna again—truly noticed her, just as he had when he'd seen her for the first time. His eyes traced from the top of her head to her shoulders, admiring the gentle glisten of her porcelain skin. One particular sight snagged him: the thin black strap of her dress had slid down.

He looked into her face again, and she looked into his.

When Link leaned closer, she did the same. As she took his hands, he closed his fingers around hers.

In one fluid motion, their lips came together. Link was sure he'd seen sparks fly—before he'd shut his eyes and got completely lost in the moment.

Her lips weren't as soft as they looked. They were softer. It was remarkable.

All around them, the breeze turned to a bluster.

With grips tightening and heads tipping for better access, the kiss intensified. Spurred on by the scent and feel of this magnificent girl, Link drew her to him, taking her in his arms. Her surprised yet pleasured breathing sounded in his ears. He pulled, wanting her closer.

Midna tasted so good and felt so warm. On top of that, she was wriggling in his arms as if she couldn't keep still. He planted his feet and inhaled, relishing every one of her movements.

In the midst of enjoying her restlessness, Link didn't realize that he was being circled around until his back hit the stone of the arch. He gasped, feeling the air leave him in a rush. It was quickly replaced as he reacted to the touch of her palm on his chest. Her lower body pressed to his. He opened his eyes to see the subtle smile on her face. His heart thudded.

Feeling the brush of her other hand, his eyes lowered. When she slid her hand inside his pants pocket, his breath burst from him faster than the first time. Soon, he was the one squirming under her watchful eye.

Riveted, Link felt powerless to move. He wasn't sure he wanted to. His gaze remained contentedly on hers as she explored his pocket. His eyelids quivered shut when her hand swept his thigh.

Even with closed eyes he could feel Midna's penetrating stare. Hands that moments ago had an unrelenting grip on her retreated to the arch. Curling his fingers around its rough surface, he sighed in surrender.

His tired eyes opened and met hers, conveying what he wished he had the guts to say: _please, just take control._

Before he had time to decide whether he truly wanted that or not, she came closer, this time by taking his leg between hers. Soon she was squeezing and moving, sinking further into him. Intensely curious, he held her, watching, growing more tingly by the second.

Sensing his mind trying to drift, Link glanced around. Was this really happening?

A subtle sound from Midna pulled him from his brooding. He peeked at her closed eyes.

Together they swayed. Link's back pressed hard against the arch, making him feel trapped, but in a good way.

All he could do was observe. But his concentration was wavering. His head started to spin.

It was all a blur. Midna was moving, and he was moving—not only moving but holding her around the waist and heaving her against him. His eyes broadened as he felt her fingernails dig into his shoulders. She was panting and he couldn't help but do the same.

"Midna?" he whispered, unsure of what he was asking of her.

Her skin shone in the moonlight. She was sounding better and better.

_What am I doing?_ he wondered, caught between confused and enchanted.

Soon, Link's face was thrust over Midna's shoulder. Yanked forward, he yielded to her strength. Feeling her entire body stiffen up, he gawked at the ground. He jerked at the bite of her nails.

The way she twisted and groaned just screamed pleasure. Link felt a warm wave wash over him.

Still, he wrote the sensations off as a dream—but a highly enjoyable one.

For a brief time Link watched in wonder as Midna's movements reached a fever pitch. A few rapid breaths were followed by a moan of such urgency that he petrified, not wanting to spoil what was happening by doing something wrong.

He'd scarcely had enough time to stew over what the incredible thing was that just happened and how it had happened so easily when he felt Midna's hand in his pocket again. His thoughtful expression turned nervous. This time, there was no hiding what she had been joking about earlier. Her small, breathy giggle indicated that she knew. Link blushed and pulled back.

But the glimmer in her eye was so intriguing that he simply couldn't look away, even when her hand shifted in his pocket. His eyes widened and he gulped. With nothing but a thin lining separating him and her palm, he just stared at her.

The most spectacular feeling overcame him. With a shaky exhale he melted against the arch, blinking slowly and marveling.

Midna seemed bent on making him as breathless as she was. And she was doing a fine job. She inched closer, sandwiching her hand securely between them.

Every gentle stroke claimed more of Link's uncertainty. He took hold of the arch again, wanting to release himself to her, to let her do what she wanted.

"Midna—" he whispered, cut off by his breathing. She just shook her head, resting the thumb of her other hand on his lips. Sweeping them, she came forward and pressed her own to them, flooding his mouth with more warmth.

Her hand was unceasing as she rewarded him with another slow kiss. His closed eyes rolled and his back curled. Thoughts he'd never had before entered his mind—words of desire, things that he wanted to ask her to do, things that he wanted to do for her.

Enamored, he took pleasure in every one of her touches. Pleasant feelings turned to pressure, and pressure turned to need. It spread through him like wildfire.

Feeling better than he'd ever felt, he stopped the kiss to breathe, unsure. Midna's eyes seemed to study him.

_Don't stop… Don't stop…_ he begged, leaning his head back.

"Are you all right?" Midna asked.

Link gaped at the starry sky for a moment, listening to the rustle of trees. Perhaps concentrating on something other than the intense buildup would slow it, and him, down. "Mm," he said with a nod.

"Relax, then," Midna whispered, guiding his head toward her for another kiss.

This wasn't helping.

He brought his arms around and hugged her, stepping back just a little to give her hand more freedom. She took the invitation.

At that moment the buildup turned to a deep burn. It was undeniable—the end was coming.

From his head to his toes he felt overwhelmed by a powerful yearning. It was strange and rapturous.

The swirling thoughts continued. He reflected on Midna's talent for effortlessly rocking his world tonight. Was she always like this?

Control was not something that he easily gave. It was not something that he typically had to give. Control normally resided with him, in his sword, his instrument, his schoolwork, his loftwing, his…everything.

But right now, handing the reins over was the most thrilling thing imaginable.

Never before had he wanted to embrace reckless abandon so much.

She was so adept at what she was doing, and he wanted more. He _needed_ more—more of her and everything about her. He was in love.

_In love._ The words hit him like a brick. _But I just met her._

Breathing heavily, they shared a look of passion.

_Goddesses, no one is as beautiful as her. No one._

Beginning to smile, Link decided that there was no one he'd rather hand himself over to.

Answering Midna's silent demand for another kiss, he leaned in.

As his nose brushed hers, a memory came to him—one of a cool, early summer morning on an islet in the Main Island's shadow.

A pretty blonde girl flashed before him.

_Zelda…._

Link's eyelids flipped up.

Suddenly, guilt welled up in his stomach. It snaked outward, causing his excitement to plummet.

In a moment, Midna had broken away from him. Link looked down, sad to feel her hands leave him. "Something wrong?" she asked, lifting a single brow.

About to speak, Link almost allowed a stutter to escape. Midna's face didn't change. "Uh," he murmured. "I, uh—"

"You don't feel right doing this," she said.

Link pursed his lips and rubbed his neck. He shook his head.

Midna gave a firm nod. "Okay." She turned toward the path to the Lumpy Pumpkin, fixing the strap of her dress. Link stared solemnly at the back of her head until she looked back. "You coming?" She cracked a mischievous smirk.

Link felt more blood rush to his face. He started following.

The walk back was somber; for him, at least. He watched her, wondering what she was thinking. Had he disappointed her? Offended her beyond reparability? His eyes sunk to his feet.

The starlight was brighter out in the open around the restaurant. As soon as Link stepped out of the trees, he squinted.

Seeing a crowd of loud people gathering outside, the two of them slowed down. Midna stopped entirely.

Behind her, Link started to speak, but stopped. He looked away, then at his hands, then at her. He sighed, rolling his eyes at himself. Midna's head turned ever so slightly.

"Midna," he said, feeling prickly all over.

She faced him, looking as unreadable as before. Unreadable, but absolutely dazzling. "Yes?"

"Um…." Link tapped his toes on the ground. He had so much to say. Where would he even start?

It didn't matter. He had to say it.

But just as he was about to, a silhouette appeared before him. His eyes went fuzzy again.

Whoever the person was was of a familiar height and build: short and small. The hair was recognizable as well. Its golden hue streamed down to waist-level. An unexpected gust of wind picked it up, sending it flowing along with a white skirt.

Link studied it. He'd seen the dress before. It was something worn only on special occasions, by someone he knew very well.

If the dress and hair didn't confirm it, the flute and displeased expression most certainly did.

It was Zelda.


End file.
